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THE  HOLY  SCRIPTURES 

WITH  COMMENTARY 
MICAH 


THE   HOLY  SCRIPTURES 

WITH  COMMENTARY 


MICAH 

BY 

MAX  L.  MARGOLIS,  PH.D. 


PHILADELPHIA 

THE  JEWISH  PUBLICATION  SOCIETY  OF  AMERICA 
5669-1908 


COPYRIGHT,  1908,  BY 
THE  JEWISH  PUBLICATION  SOCIETY  OF  AMERICA 


INTRODUCTION 

i.  The  Book  of  Micah  occupies  the  sixth  place  in  the 
group  of  the  "Twelve  Prophets",  which,  at  an  early  date 
(Sirach  xlix.  10),  formed  a  volume  by  itself,  counting  as  one 
book  among  the  twenty-four  of  Holy  Writ.  According  to 
the  heading  (i.  i),  the  author  of  the  prophecies  was  Micah 
of  Moresheth  (a  small  town  in  the  Shephelah,  the  Lowland, 
or  slope,  between  the  high  hills  of  Judaea  and  the  maritime 
coast  of  Philistia),  a  contemporary  of  the  kings  Jotham, 
Ahaz,  and  Hezekiah.  There  is  nothing  in  the  utterances 
of  the  prophet  which  points  to  the  stirring  events  connected 
with  Sennacherib's  Palestinian  campaign  in  701 ;  it  may 
therefore  be  assumed  that  his  ministry  closed  at  a  previous 
date,  thus  extending  in  all  over  a  period  of  some  thirty 
years  (from  735  to  705).  The  prophetic  activity  of  Isaiah 
began  a  little  earlier  and  closed  somewhat  later. 

There  is  no  reason  to  doubt  the  accuracy  of  the  date  given  in  the 
heading  (i.  i),  especially  as  it  is  in  part  corroborated  by  Jer.  xxvi. 
18  f.,  where  Micah  iii.  12  is  quoted  in  full.  The  destruction  of  Samaria, 
which  is  spoken  of  as  a  future  event  in  i.  5  ff.,  is  placed  by  many 
scholars,  at  variance  with  II  Kings  xviii.  10,  in  the  reign  of  Ahaz,  and 
the  reign  of  Jotham  must  have  been  considerably  shorter  than  we  are 
led  to  believe  from  II  Kings  xv.  33.  See  Kittel,  History  of  the 
Hebrews,  $  53  a. 


INTRODUCTION 


2.  The  period  in  which  the  two  prophets  lived  and 
worked  was  that  of  Assyrian  supremacy  in  the  affairs  of 
Western  Asia.  It  was  the  age  of  Tiglath-pileser  III  (745- 
727),  Shalmaneser  IV  (727-722),  Sargon  II  (722-705), 
Sennacherib  (705-681)  —  those  mighty  monarchs  under 
whom  the  westward  advance  of  Assyria,  begun  with  a 
steady  purpose  a  century  earlier,  culminated  in  the  con- 
quest of  Syria,  the  fall  of  Damascus  (in  732)  and  Samaria 
(in  722),  and  the  reduction  of  Judah  and  other  Palestinian 
principalities  to  a  state  of  vassalage.  The  Assyrian  colossus, 
absolute  master  of  the  Armenian  highlands  as  well  as 
the  countries  west  of  the  Euphrates,  had  humbled  recal- 
citrant Babylon  and  was  at  the  gate  of  the  Pharaonic  empire, 
both  of  which  had  repeatedly  instigated  the  Palestinian 
princes  to  foolhardy  sedition  against  their  Assyrian  masters. 

Palestine,  from  its  geographical  position  and 'configuration,  was  at 
all  times  in  antiquity  an  object  of  prey  to  the  two  mighty  empires 
in  the  Nile  and  in  the  Tigris-Euphrates  valley,  and  split  up  into  a 
variety  of  cantonal  principalities  resisting  fusion  and  rendering 
foreign  aggression  an  easy  matter.  The  history  of  Israel  and 
Judah  is  therefore,  politically  speaking,  but  an  episode  in  the 
contest  of  the  two  great  civilizations  for  supremacy.  The  Old 
Babylonian  dominion  in  the  fourth  millennium  before  the  Christian  era 
was  succeeded  by  the  Egyptian  conquest  under  Tahutimes  III ;  the 
Egyptian  supremacy  lasted  not  quite  two  centuries.  From  the  four- 
teenth to  the  tenth  century  Egypt  was  too  weak  to  interfere  in  the 
affairs  of  Syria  and  Palestine ;  in  that  interval  of  time  our  ancestors 
settled  in  Palestine,  and  were  on  their  way  to  founding  a  powerful 
commonwealth.  The  successful  career  of  David  was  unhampered  on 
the  one  side  by  Egypt  and  on  the  other  by  Assyria,  just  then  in  a  period 
of  decline  after  its  rise  to  power  toward  the  end  of  the  fourteenth 


INTRODUCTION 


century  and  its  westward  movements  in  the  twelfth  and  eleventh. 
Solomon's  advances  were  checked  by  Shishak  I  who  was  ambitious 
to  reconquer  Palestine,  which  had  been  lost  to  Egypt  for  two  centuries 
or  more.  The  Pharaoh  plotted  with  Jeroboam  against  Solomon  ;  in 
the  fifth  year  of  Rehoboam  he  invaded  Palestine,  causing  great  suffer- 
ing to  Israel  and  Judah.  In  the  eighth  century  Egyptian  influence 
again  began  to  manifest  itself  in  Palestine.  Egypt  had  her  emissaries 
at  the  petty  Palestinian  courts,  sowing  discord  and  craftily  inciting  the 
princes  to  resistance  against  the  Assyrian  advance.  Though  always 
unreliable  ("a  bruised  reed,"  II  Kings  xviii.  21),  and  rarely  making 
good  her  promises  of  help,  she  was  the  cause  of  all  the  trouble  in 
Palestine,  beginning  with  721,  for  a  whole  century.  The  flames  of 
rebellion  were  fanned  from  the  opposite  quarter  by  an  ambitious 
Chaldsean  prince,  Merodach-baladan  II,  who  twice,  on  the  accession 
of  Sargon  as  well  as  on  that  of  Sennacherib,  sought  to  involve  Syria 
and  Palestine  in  an  uprising  against  Assyria.  See  Paton,  Early 
History  of  Syria  and  Palestine,  1901,  chapters  I-XII. 

3.  Between  Egypt  and  Assyria,  Israel  acted,  to  use  the 
language  of  Hosea  (vii.  1 1),  "like  a  silly  dove,  without 
understanding."  In  its  coquetry  with  the  great  powers, 
it  was  fast  losing  its  individuality.  "Ephraim,  he  mixeth 
himself  among  the  peoples,"  the  same  prophet  complains 
(vii.  8).  The  whole  aim  of  the  Mosaic  Law  had  been  to 
safeguard  Israel's  vocation  as  a  holy  nation.  On  the  soil 
of  Palestine,  Israel  was  to  create  an  unique  order  of  things 
grounded  in  equity  and  justice  and  rooted  in  the  love  of 
God.  But  Israel  soon  forgot  the  teachings  of  its  greatest 
prophet.  Once  the  Israelites  had  crossed  the  Jordan,  they 
succumbed  to  the  allurements  of  a  superior  civilization. 
The  native  population  proved  too  powerful  for  whole- 
sale extermination,  and  so  they  made  peace  with  the 


INTRODUCTION 


Canaanites  and  intermarried  with  them,  "they  mingled 
themselves  with  the  nations  and  learned  their  deeds" 
(Ps.  cvi.  36).  The  Lord  was  worshipped  after  the  same 
manner  and  with  the  same  impure  rites  as  the  Baals  of  the 
native  population.  Under  Ahab,  of  the  house  of  Omri, 
the  cult  of  the  Phoenician  Baal  was  introduced.  The 
worship  of  the  "host  of  heaven"  was  particularly  in  vogue 
in  the  time  with  which  we  are  concerned.  Child  sacrifices 
were  customary;  of  Ahaz  it  is  reported  (II  Kings  xvi.  3) 
that  he  offered  his  own  son  by  fire.  The  Temple  at 
Jerusalem  did  not  escape  defilement.  All  over  the  land, 
"upon  every  high  hill,  and  under  every  leafy  tree,"  high 
places  were  erected.  Moreover,  law  and  justice  were 
trampled  under  foot  by  a  rapacious  aristocracy.  Through 
usury  and  all  manner  of  exaction,  the  poor  were  fleeced, 
robbed  of  all  their  possessions.  Samaria  and  Jerusalem 
vied  with  Nineveh  and  Babylon  and  Memphis.  "For 
Israel  forgot  his  Maker,  and  builded  palaces;  and  Judah 
multiplied  fortified  cities"  (Hosea  viii.  14). 

4.  Unlike  Isaiah,  who  took  an  active  interest  in  the 
political  questions  of  the  day,  frequently  confronting  kings 
and  high  dignitaries  in  person,  Micah  preferred  the  part 
of  a  distant,  but  nevertheless  keen  observer.  He  looks 
upon  the  military  ambitions  of  Judah  as  the  root  of  all  evil, 
its  "chiefest  sin"  (i.  13);  together  with  the  superstitions 
and  the  idolatrous  practices  of  the  two  capitals,  they  con- 


INTRODUCTION 


stitute  the  reprehensible  present  order  of  things,  which  must 
pass  away  (v.  9  ff.).  The  main  subject  of  his  denunciations, 
however,  is  the  maladministration  of  justice  and  the  exploi- 
tation of  the  poor  on  the  part  of  the  ruling  classes.  With 
the  fearlessness  of  an  Amos,  whose  home  was  in  the  neigh- 
boring wilderness  of  Tekoa,  he  declaims  against  the  general 
corruption.  The  princes  and  the  judges  are  in  league  with 
the  unscrupulous  rich  (vii.  3),  whose  houses  are  full  of  the 
proceeds  of  violence  (vi.  12).  The  traders  are  deceitful 
with  their  wicked  balances  and  their  scant  measure  (vi.  iof). 
The  most  intimate  relations  of  friendship  and  domestic 
life  are  disrupted  (vii.  5  f.).  Jerusalem  appears  to  the  prophet 
as  a  city  built  with  the  blood  of  her  poor  (iii.  IO;  comp.  ii. 
if.;  8  f.;  iii.  1-3). 

5.  The  ruin  of  Samaria  seemed  to  the  prophet  to  involve 
the  fate  of  the  southern  kingdom  (i.  9 ;  comp.  verse  6).  He 
boldly  announced  the  destruction  of  Jerusalem  which  he  be- 
lieved to  be  imminent  (iii.  1 2).  He  conceived  it  as  a  divine 
punishment  in  return  for  the  sins  of  her  leading  classes. 
His  stern  rebukes  and  his  prophecy  of  evil  naturally  made  him 
unpopular.  He  was  antagonized  by  a  class  of  easy-going, 
optimistic  prophets,  who  kept  assuring  the  people  that  no 
evil  would  befall  the  city.  Against  them,  no  less  than 
against  the  rapacious  rich,  the  corrupt  judges,  and  the  venal 
priests,  the  prophet  directs  his  biting  invective  (iii.  5  f. ;  1 1). 
The  popular  prophet  is  the  man  bent  on  falsehood  and 


INTRODUCTION 


flattery,  who  pampers  the  people's  sensuous  appetites  (ii.  1 1) 
and  cries,  Peace,  as  long  as  he  is  paid  for  his  services 
(iii.  5).  Over  against  the  false  prophets  who  misguide 
the  people,  Micah  knows  himself  as  the  true  prophet, 
inspired  by  the  Lord  with  a  sense  of  justice  and  with 
courage  to  give  utterance  to  his  convictions,  "to  declare 
unto  Jacob  his  transgression,  and  to  Israel  his  sin" 
(iii.  8). 

6.  While  the  destruction  of  Jerusalem  is  to  Micah  an 
assured  fact,  it  by  no  means  constitutes  the  final  event 
in  the  prophet's  vision.  He  knows  of  an  ancient 
prophecy  concerning  the  glorious  Messianic  future,  when 
Zion  shall  become  the  site  of  Paradise  Regained,  the 
spiritual  centre  of  the  world  (iv.  1-4).  That  day  will 
surely  come.  Till  then,  however,  Jerusalem  and  her  people 
must  suffer  much  humiliation.  The  city  will  be  captured, 
and  the  population  will  be  exiled  (iv.  9  f. ;  14).  They  will 
come  even  unto  Babylon ;  but  there  the  Lord  will  redeem 
them  (iv.  10$).  There  will  be  a  latter  and  more  glorious 
exodus ;  the  dipersed  of  Israel  will  be  gathered  and  the  old 
landmarks  restored,  while  Israel's  enemies  will  be  put  to 
shame  (vii.  10  f. ;  14  ff. ;  iv.  6).  Once  more  the  nations  of 
the  earth  will  be  gathered  about  Jerusalem  for  a  final 
assault  ;  but  they  will  be  utterly  routed  (iv.  1 1-13).  Then 
the  Messianic  ruler  will  arise  and  establish  peace  in  the  land. 
Assyria  will  no  more  invade  the  Holy  Land ;  and  the  rem- 


INTRODUCTION 


nant  of  Jacob  will  dwell  in  security  (v.  I  ff. ;  iv.  fa ;  vii.  1 8). 
It  will  be  a  community  freed  from  sin  (vii.  18  f.)  and  from 
all  the  impurities  attaching  to  the  present  order  of  things 
(v.  9  ff.).  The  everlasting  Kingdom  of  God  on  mount  Zion 
will  then  be  established  (iv.  7  b\ 

7.  In  line  with  the  other  prophets,  Micah  censures  the 
people's  foolish  notions  concerning  the  manner  in  which 
the    Lord  is  to    be    served.     The  Lord,  the    prophet  de- 
clares,  desires    neither    burnt-offerings,    nor  thousands    of 
rams,  nor  tens  of  thousands  of  rivers  of  oil,  nor  the  sacrifice 
of  one's  dearest  child  (vi.  6  f.).     The  duties   of  the  true 
worshipper    are    summed   up    with    classic    brevity.      The 
prophet's  code  is  simple  enough.      "  Execute  justice   and 
love  kindness,  and  walk  humbly  with  thy  God  ! "  (vi.  8). 

8.  Micah's  language  is  throughout  lofty.     He  is  fond  of 
playing    on    words,    however    (comp.  i.  10  ff. ;  iv.  14);    at 
times   he  is   sarcastic   (ii.  1 1  ;  iii.  5).     Though   fearless  in 
denunciation,   the  prophet  is   capable   of  tenderer  moods. 
His  last  word  to  his  people  is  one  of  consolation  and  inter- 
cession (vii.  14  ff.).     His  theology  conceives  of  the  Lord  as 
a  stern  Judge  who  will   not  suffer  the  sinner  to  go  un- 
punished (i.  3—5),  yet  as  kind  and  forgiving  to  the  penitent 
(vii.  1 8).      For  sin  must  be  expiated,  but  there  is  hope  for 
the  sinner  who  confesses  his  guilt  and  submits  without  a 
murmur  to  the  divine  chastisement  (vii.  9).     There  is  evil 


INTRODUCTION 


in  the  world,  but  it  will  be  overcome  in  the  end;  when 
corruption  is  greatest,  salvation  is  surest  (vii.  6  f.).  Israel 
must  pass  through  the  darkness  of  exile  and  dispersion, 
but  there  is  a  glorious  future  for  the  "remnant"  (vii.  8f.;  18). 
For  the  Lord  does  not  retain  His  anger  forever ;  He  will 
fulfil  the  promises  made  to  the  fathers  in  the  days  of  old 
(vii.  18-20).  The  indestructibility  of  Israel  means  the 
ultimate  triumph  of  God  in  and  over  the  world  j  the  two 
are  inseparably  interwoven  in  the  prophetic  faith  and  hope. 

The  unity  of  authorship  which,  in  keeping  with  tradition,  is  here 
assumed  for  the  entire  book  has  been  challenged  by  the  exponents  of 
the  higher  or  "literary"  criticism.  As  applied  to  the  prophetic 
writings,  literary  criticism  is  a  quarter  of  a  century  old,  its  principles 
having  been  set  forth  in  1881,  in  what  has  been  described  by  one  of  the 
school  as  a  "pioneering  "  article  by  the  late  Professor  Stade  in  the  first 
volume  of  the  Zeitschrift  fur  alttestamentliche  Wissenschaft,  of  which 
he  was  the  editor.  The  underlying  conception  is  that  the  prophetic 
books,  instead  of  representing  complete  collections  of  the  utterances 
of  the  prophets  made  by  the  authors  themselves  or  by  their  immediate 
disciples,  rather  constitute  the  result  of  the  literary  activity  of  gen- 
erations of  students  at  whose  hands  the  pre-exilic  prophecies  received 
substantial  additions  (insertions,  interpolations)  mirroring  the  beliefs 
and  ideas,  but  particularly  the  hopes  and  wishes,  of  the  post-exilic 
Jewish  community.  Advanced  critics  do  not  hesitate  to  assign 
large  portions  of  the  prophetical  literature  to  as  late  a  period  as  the 
Maccabaean.  Especially  the  eschatological  sections,  those  dealing 
with  the  Messianic  future  of  the  nation,  are  in  bulk  pronounced  to  be 
the  fabrications  of  post-exilic  scribes,  parasitic  after-growths,  which 
must  be  removed  in  order  that  the  genuine  pre-exilic  prophecies  may 
be  laid  open  to  view.  The  arguments  upon  which  literary  criticism 
bases  its  results  are  mainly  drawn  from  incoherencies  in  the  sequence 
of  thought,  differences  of  vocabulary  and  style,  and  difficulties  of  an 
antiquarian  character.  It  is  found  that  the  transition  from  the  denun< 


INTRODUCTION 


ciatory  to  the  consolatory  prophecies  (in  our  book  from  ii.  u  to  ii.  12, 
from  iii.  12  to  iv.  i,  from  vii.  6  to  vii.  7)  is  often  abrupt,  unprepared,  and 
psychologically  inconceivable  in  one  and  the  same  writer.  No  room 
seems  to  be  allowed  for  the  free  play  of  the  imagination,  which  is  cer- 
tainly capable  of  bridging  over  the  gulf  yawning  between  periods 
widely  apart ;  nor  is  it  remembered  that  abruptness  and  a  certain 
amount  of  obscurity  are  characteristic  of  prophetic  style.  Literary 
criticism,  moreover,  operates  with  a  preconceived  notion  that  we 
possess  in  the  prophetic  books  full  verbal  reports  of  the  prophetic 
utterances,  while  the  opposite  is  rather  true,  that  from  the  outset  we 
have  but  echoes  of  the  actual  speeches,  fragments  loosely  strung 
together,  and  coming  from  different  periods  in  the  activity  of  the 
same  prophet.  Then,  again,  it  is  a  fatal  error  of  literary  criticism 
to  assume  that,  because  a  certain  idea  meets  us  for  the  first  time  in  a 
late  literary  production,  it  is  necessarily  late  itself.  Thus  it  is  the 
merit  of  a  newer  school  of  criticism  (headed  by  Gunkel)  to  have 
made  it  plausible  that  the  sum  of  ideas  denoted  as  eschatological  and 
most  completely  developed  in  the  late  prophetic  and  apocalyptic 
writings,  is  in  point  of  fact  of  ancient  date  and  presupposed  in  the 
earliest  prophetic  utterances  extant.  See  Gressmann,  Der  Ursprung 
der  israelitisch-judischen  Eschatologie,  1905. 

As  for  differences  of  vocabulary,  it  is  well  to  remember  that  the 
transformation  which  a  language  undergoes  is  usually  in  the  nature  of 
a  slow  process.  Centuries  are  required  for  a  word  or  a  syntactical 
innovation,  always  the  coinage  of  individual  writers,  to  become  the 
common  property  of  literary  men.  It  is  preposterous  to  pronounce 
vi.  9-16  to  be  late  merely  because  some  of  the  words  (i"Win, 
"wisdom",  verse  9,  P13T  "to  be  pure",  and  rw,  "deceitful", 
verse  u)  are  frequent  in  late  writings.  The  judgment  of  style  is  a 
matter  of  subjective  taste  ;  unless  supported  by  weightier  arguments, 
the  evidence  therefrom  is  inconclusive.  Antiquarian  difficulties  are 
naturally  of  greater  moment,  but  in  view  of  our  imperfect  knowledge  of 
historical  circumstances  a  cautious  attitude  is  imperative. 

The  subjoined  table  shows  the  extent  of  the  additions  or  inter- 
polations which  advanced  criticism  assumes  in  the  book  of  Micah. 


INTRODUCTION 


Ewald 

Wellhausen 

Stade 

Marti 

(1867) 

(1892) 

(1881-1903) 

(1904) 

722  Samaria  destroyed 

i.5  b,  6,8,9, 

Hezekiah 

i-v  (with 

i.  2  ff;    ii. 

16  ;    ii.    1-3, 

Isaiah 

the  excep- 

i-n ;  iv. 

i.  5*ff; 

4    (?),     6-1  1  ; 

701  Sennacherib's    in- 

tion of 
ii.  12  f.  ?) 

H  (?)  ; 
v.  9-13  (?) 

11.  I-1I  ;  HI 

in.  1-2  a,  3  a, 

4,    5  a,    2b, 

vasion 

5  b-i2 

vi.  f.  (by 

692  Manasseh 

an  anony- 

637 Josiah 

mous 

vi.  1-8  (by 

Jeremiah 

prophet 

Micah  ?) 

under 

604  Nebuchadrezzar 

Manasseh) 

597  Jehoiachin 

Ezekiel 

586  Fall  of  Jerusalem 

iv.  6-10 

iv.  5  ff. 

538  Cyrus 

(iv.  1-4 

ii.  12  f. 

iv.  1-4;  v.  i,  3 

Haggai,  Zechariah 

older) 

vi.  6-8 

515  Second  Temple 

completed 

445  Nehemiah 

ii.  12  f. 
iv.  11-13 

i.  2-4 
iv.  1-4; 

v.  1-8 

11-14   ! 

332  Alexander  the 

vi.  9-16 

v.  1-3,  6-14 

Great 

vii 

iv.  5-10; 
v.  4f. 

v.  4  ff  ;   vii. 

7-20  (two 

psalms)    vi. 

167  Maccabaean    Up- 

vii. 7-20 

9-16;  vii.  -1-6 
Redactorial: 

rising 

i.  2-a;  vi.  1-6 

103  Aristobulus  I. 

Glosses  : 

i.  10-15; 

ii.  5;   iii.  3* 

ind  minor 

parts. 

INTRODUCTION 


It  is  impossible  here  to  discuss  the  merits  of  such  criticism, 
unsubstantiated  as  its  reasonings  are  in  most  cases.  The  more 
serious  difficulties,  however,  must  claim  our  attention,  ii.  12  f., 
provided  we  take  it  in  the  meaning  that  first  suggests  itself, 
i.  e.  as  consolatory  (Targum  and  Midrash  [e.  g.  Gen.  rabba,  ch.  xlviii] ), 
is  certainly  difficult  in  the  present  context.  The  change  from  the 
denunciations  and  threats  of  the  entire  earlier  portion  of  the  book 
to  the  promise  conveyed  here  is  absolutely  unprepared.  We  miss  at 
the  very  least  some  such  introductory-  phrase  as,  In  the  future 
(actually  supplied  by  the  Targum).  Ibn  Ezra  long  ago  solved  the 
difficulty  in  his  way  and  rather  ingeniously.  If  we  follow  that  scholar, 
we  should  print  the  two  verses  in  quotation  marks ;  that  is,  Micah  is 
giving  here  a  sample  of  the  optimistic  sermons  of  the  false  prophets 
referred  to  in  the  preceding  verse.  A  number  of  objections  have  been 
raised  against  Ibn  Ezra's  view.  In  the  first  place,  a  quotation  from 
the  mouth  of  the  false  prophets  is  found  in  verse  n  ;  then,  the  two 
are  dissimilar  in  tone,  the  former  being  of  a  sensuous  character, 
while  the  latter  deals  with  the  glorious  future  of  Israel;  lastly,  the 
concluding  words  of  verse  n,  containing  Micah's  retort,  would  inter- 
rupt the  two  quotations.  None  of  the  objections,  however,  is  incon- 
testable. The  two  quotations  might  well  be  interrupted  by  Micah's 
retort,  which  could  not  very  conveniently  be  kept  in  abeyance  until 
the  end  of  the  chapter.  The  sensual  tone  of  the  first  quotation  might 
be  an  intentional  exaggeration,  and  need  not  be  taken  literally;  in  the 
second  the  prophet  would  more  seriously,  and  therefore  more  accu- 
rately, reproduce  his  opponents.  A  serious  objection,  however,  still 
remains.  It  is  not  likely  that  the  false  prophets  concerned  themselves 
with  the  events  following  the  downfall  of  the  nation,  which  contingency 
they  were  most  emphatic  in  denying.  The  Kimhis,  quite  plausibly, 
expound  the  passage  in  the  sense  of  a  threat.  Israel  is  to  be  gathered, 
a  large  bustling  mass  of  people,  as  sheep  in  a  sheepfold,  as  a  flock  in 
a  pasture,  the  whole  people,  none  excluded.  Suddenly  a  wether 
breaks  through  the  gate — the  entire  flock  follows  it;  so  shall  Israel's 
King  (see  the  commentary),  the  Lord,  depart  from  the  land  defiled 
by  the  sins  of  His  people,  and  the  whole  people,  "like  sheep  that 
have  no  shepherd,"  shall  go  after  Him  out  of  the  country,  not,  indeed, 
with  Him,  but  without  Him,  into  exile.  It  may  be  safe,  however,  to 


12  INTRODUCTION 


accept  the  obvious  meaning  and  then  either  acquiesce  in  the  abrupt 
change  of  subject,  or  else  suppose  that  we  have  here  a  misplaced 
fragment,  the  original  connection  of  which  has  been  lost. 

iv.  1-4  is  found  repeated  in  Isa.  ii.  2-4  (with  the  omission  of  the  last 
verse  and  with  slight  textual  modifications).  It  is  clearly  impossible 
to  suppose  that  Micah  borrowed  the  prophecy  from  Isaiah  (Abrabanel), 
or  that  Isaiah  borrowed  it  from  Micah.  Nor  can  we  subscribe  to  the 
opinion  that  Micah's  prophecy  was  inserted  in  the  book  of  Isaiah  by 
a  copyist  or  compiler.  Certain  critics  explain  the  duplication  of  the 
passage  as  the  result  of  uncertainty  on  the  part  of  the  compilers  of  the 
sacred  texts  who  knew  the  prophecy  to  belong  to  the  period  of  Heze- 
kiah,  but  were  doubtful  as  to  whether  Isaiah  or  Micah  was  the  author. 
The  most  plausible  view,  however,  is  that  of  Koppe  (1779).  Both 
Micah  and  Isaiah  made  use  of  an  ancient  prophecy  with  which  they 
were  acquainted. 

In  chapters  iv  and  v  the  coherence  of  the  parts,  it  must  be  owned, 
leaves  much  to  be  desired.  Nevertheless,  it  is  possible  to  establish  a 
reasonable  sequence  of  thought.  The  prophet  begins  by  picturing, 
in  the  language  of  an  ancient  prophecy,  the  glory  of  the  future 
Jerusalem  as  the  spiritual  centre  of  the  world  (iv.  1-4),  and  deduces 
therefrom  the  lesson  that  Israel  must  hold  fast  to  its  religion  (verse  5). 
For  the  exile  is  not  final;  the  dispersed  shall  be  gathered  (verses  6 
and  7),  and  the  former  kingdom  shall  be  restored  to  Jerusalem 
(verse  8).  Hence,  do  not  lose  courage,  O  daughter  of  Zion !  for 
though  thou  must  go  into  exile,  there,  in  the  exile,  the  Lord's 
deliverance  will  come  to  thee  (verse  9  f.).  Many  nations  will  then 
gather  again  about  Jerusalem,  the  hosts  of  Gog,  in  the  language  of 
Ezekiel  (ch.  xxxviii);  but  there  they  shall  be  completely  routed 
(verses  11-13).  (Ezekiel  [verse  17]  clearly  indicates  that  the  coming 
of  the  hosts  of  Gog  was  the  subject  of  former  prophecies. )  In  verse  14 
the  prophet  resumes  the  subject  of  verse  9  as  an  introduction  to  the 
fuller  Messianic  prophecy,  v.  i  ff.  Now  thy  ruler  must  suffer  humili- 
ation (verse  14);  but  after  a  time  the  greater  ruler  will  rise  and 
establish  everlasting  peace  for  the  remnant  of  Jacob  (v.  i  ff. )  Then 
the  present  civilization  with  its  reprehensible  features  will  disappear 
(verses  9-13).  (In  the  closing  verse  [14],  the  prophet  indicates  that 
the  objectionable  practices  were  acquired  from  the  nations;  hence  the 


INTRODUCTION  13 


latter  must  be  destroyed  in  order  that  Israel  may  escape  contagion. ) 
Accordingly,  there  is  no  reason  to  break  up,  with  Stade,  the  two 
middle  chapters  into  two  parallel  prophecies  (iv.  1-4;  11-14;  v-  I-3 ; 
6-14 ;  v.  4  f.,  with  iv.  5  as  a  bracket). 

The  antiquarian  difficulties  which  induce  Stade  to  assign  a  post-exilic 
date  to  the  two  prophecies  are  by  no  means  insurmountable.  The 
most  serious  difficulty  is  the  mention  of  Babylon  as  the  place  of  cap- 
tivity (iv.  10 ).  It  is  an  old  difficulty,  and  it  was  met  on  the  part  of 
many  scholars  by  pronouncing  a  portion  of  the  verse  to  be  a  copyist's 
expansion.  The  assumption,  however,  is  an  unnecessary  one.  Just 
as  Assyria  is  called  poetically  "the  land  of  Nimrod"  (v.  5)  on  the 
basis  of  Gen.  x.  n,  the  very  same  passage  makes  it  plausible  that 
Babylon  is  here  but  another  name  for  Assyria.  The  city  of  Babylon, 
from  the  time  of  Hammurabi  on,  was  the  recognized  metropolis  of 
Western  Asia.  Even  during  the  period  of  Assyrian  supremacy,  which 
coincides  with  the  time  of  Micah,  Babylon,  though  subjugated  by 
Assyria,  was  culturally  the  capital  of  Western  Asia  (see  Paton, 
loc.  cit.,  p.  47  f.;  Jeremias,  Das  Alte  Testament  im  Lichte  des  Alien 
Orients,  p.  160).  The  prophet  could,  therefore,  with  good  reason  use 
Asshur  and  Babel  interchangeably.  The  other  difficulties  pointed  out 
by  Stade  rest  upon  preconceived  notions,  which  cannot  be  discussed 
here. 

The  allusion  to  child  sacrifices  in  vi.  7  b  prompted  Ewald  to  assign 
chapters  vi  and  vii  to  an  anonymous  prophet  of  the  reign  of  Manasseh. 
It  is  true,  such  an  act  is  reported  of  the  impious  king  (II  Kings  xxi.  6). 
We  have,  however,  a  similar  report  of  Ahaz  (ibid.,  xvi.  3).  Moreover, 
what  an  Ahaz  or  a  Manasseh  could  do  in  person,  the  people  at  large 
were  certainly  capable  of  doing  even  under  Hezekiah,  though  the 
king  himself  was  a  foe  of  idolatry.  From  Jeremiah  and  Ezekiel  we 
gather  that  in  their  days  child  sacrifices  were  by  no  means  an  aber- 
ration confined  to  royalty.  Thus  there  is  nothing  in  the  reference  to 
child  sacrifices  beyond  a  general  statement  which  may  fit  any  time. 

The  transition  from  the  despondent  soliloquy  of  the  ideal  community 
on  the  eve  of  its  discomfiture  (vii.  1-6)  to  the  buoyant  hope  that  the 
darkness  of  the  exile  will  give  way  to  brighter  days  and  be  followed 
by  a  latter  exodus  as  marvellous  as  the  former  (vii.  7  ff. ),  is  by  no 
means  as  abrupt  as  is  commonly  asserted.  The  antithetical  con- 


14  INTRODUCTION 


struction  with  which  the  closing  section  sets  in  (verse  7)  clearly  ex- 
presses the  thought  that  when  the  evil,  the  moral  evil  as  well  as  its 
consequences,  is  greatest,  divine  help  is  nearest.  It  has  furthermore 
been  pointed  out  that,  although  in  point  of  fact  "a  century  yawns 
between  vii.  6  and  vii.  7,"  it  is  far  from  impossible  for  the  prophet's 
imagination  to  bring  the  two  periods  together  ideally.  Moreover,  the 
fall  of  the  kingdom  was  to  the  prophet's  mind  by  no  means  a  distant 
event ;  he  expected  it  shortly  and  in  his  own  days.  Micah,  no 
less  than  Isaiah,  looks  for  the  advent  of  the  Messianic  time  in  a 
relatively  remote  period,  but  not  at  all  in  so  distant  an  age  as  to  be 
beyond  the  horizon  of  a  moderate  imagination.  Both  the  death  of  the 
nation  and  its  resurrection  were  conceived  by  the  prophets  of  the 
period  of  Hezekiah  as  events,  so  to  speak,  admitting  of  calculation. 
The  "times"  of  the  Almighty,  their  successors  learned  to  realize,  are 
much  slower  in  coming  than  the  older  prophets  anticipated.  The 
divine  counsel  into  which  but  a  peep  is  granted  even  to  the  prophetic 
eye,  is  much  more  difficult  to  comprehend.  Behind  the  messenger, 
Providence  mysteriously  and  in  His  own  righteous  ways  governs  the 
world. 

9.  The  text  of  the  book  of  Micah,  though  presenting  a 
number  of  difficulties  which  point  to  early  corruption,  is  on 
the  whole  in  good  condition.  It  may  be  said  that  our 
(Masoretic)  text  is  substantially  identical  with  the  one 
underlying  the  Vulgate  (end  of  fourth  Christian  century), 
the  Greek  versions  of  Aquila,  Symmachus,  and  Theodotion 
(second  century),  the  Syriac  Version  (second  century),  and 
the  Targum  (the  Aramaic  Version,  which  contains  ancient 
material  antedating  the  Christian  era).  The  text  under- 
lying the  Greek  Version  (Septuagint)  in  all  likelihood 
varied  to  some  extent  from  our  own.  A  few  good  readings 
are  preserved  there. 


INTRODUCTION  15 


10.  The  versions  are  also  useful  for  the  purpose  of  estab- 
lishing the  early  interpretation.  The  simple  sense  is  repro- 
duced in  all  except  the  Targum,  which  is  paraphrastic,  and 
often  deviates  therefrom  in  favor  of  homiletic  interpretation, 
the  derash.  The  latter  is  embodied  in  the  Haggadic  portions 
of  the  Talmud  and  in  the  Midrashim.  The  material  is  con- 
veniently gathered  in  the  Yalkutim  on  Micah ;  the  Yalkut 
Makiri  was  available  to  the  writer  from  a  transcript  of  MS. 
Harley  5704  in  the  British  Museum  secured  by  President 
Schechter.  While  the  French  commentators — Rashi,  died 
1105;  Menahem  bar  Helbo  (fragments  collected  by 
S.  Poznariski,  1 904)  ;  to  a  less  extent  Joseph  Kara  (edited 
by  S.  Eppenstein,  1903) — were  given  to  the  homiletic 
interpretation,  the  simple  sense  was  sedulously  cultivated 
by  the  Spanish  school.  We  have  for  the  book  of  Micah 
a  quotation  in  Ibn  Ezra  from  Samuel  ha-Nagid  (ca.  1050), 
the  grammatical  and  lexicographical  works  of  Abulwalid 
Merwan  Ibn  Ganah  (Rabbi  Jonah,  ca.  1050),  "the  greatest 
of  mediaeval  Hebraists,"  the  commentary  of  Abraham  ben 
Meir  Ibn  Ezra  (1155—57),  ^ne  lexicon  and  commentary 
of  David  ben  Joseph  Kimhi  (died  1235),  and  the  com- 
mentary of  Don  Isaac  Abrabanel  (died  1508).  Of  recent 
(Christian)  commentators  the  following  may  be  mentioned  -. 
Ewald  (1867),  Hitzig:Steiner  (1881),  Cheyne  (in  the 
Cambridge  Bible  for  Schools  and  Colleges,  1882), 
Ryssel  (1887),  Reuss  (1892),  Wellhausen  (1892),  Nowack 


16  INTRODUCTION 


(1897),  Marti  (1904).  The  critical  questions  are  dis- 
cussed in  the  introductions:  Kuenen  (1892),  Cornill 
(1892),  Konig  (1893),  Wildeboer  (1893),  Driver  (1898), 
Baudissin  (1901). 


MICAH 

CHAPTER  I.  I.      The  heading. 

THE   word    of  the    Lord    that  came    to    Micah    the  i 

Morashtite    in     the    days     of  Jotham,    Ahaz,     and 

Hezekiah,    kings    of  Judah,    which  he    saw    concerning 
Samaria  and  Jerusalem. 

CHAP.  I.  2 — III.  12.      The  judgment  over   sinful  Samaria 

and  Jerusalem. 

CHAP.  I.  2 — 4.     The  Lord's  manifestation  as  Judge. 
Hear,  ye  peoples,  all  of  you ;  2 

Hearken,  O  earth,  and  all  that  therein  is : 

CHAPTER  I.  i.  THE  HEADING. 

See  Introduction,  §  i. 

Micah\  A  namesake,  Micaiah  common  word  in  place  of  the 
the  son  of  Imlah,  prophesied  un-  ordinary  ra'a/i).  The  prophet  sees 
der  Ahab,  and  was  distinguished  in  his  ecstasy  sights  ordinarily 
for  his  fearlessness  (I  Kings  xxii.  hidden,  or  he  sees  in  ordinary 
8-28.  The  close  of  verse  28,  things  meanings  not  ordinarily 
which  is  wanting  in  the  Greek  perceived.  The  prophet  is  there- 
Version,  may  be  due  to  a  false  fore  frequently  called  hozeh,  a 
identification  of  the  two  prophets.  seer  (\  sam.  ;x.  9;  Amos  vii.  12), 
Comp.  Ibn  Ezra  and  Kimhi).  ancj  prophecy  hazon,  a  vision 

saw}    Hebrew  hazah   (an  un-  (Ezek.  vii.  24). 

CHAPTER  I.  2 — III.  12.     THE  JUDGMENT  OVER  SINFUL  SAMARIA  AND 

JERUSALEM. 

CHAPTER  I.  2  ff.  2.    ye  peoples}     Not  the  tribes 

2—4.     THE  LORD'S  MANIFES-     of  Israel  (Kimhi,  who  compares 

TATION  AS  JUDGE.  Deut.  xxxiii.  19),  but  the  nations 


i8 


MICAH,  I. 


3,  4. 


And  let  the  Lord  God  be  witness  against  you, 

The  Lord  from  His  holy  temple. 

For,  behold,  the  Lord  cometh  forth  out  of  His  place, 

And  will  come  down,  and  tread  upon  the  high  places 

of  the  earth. 

And  the  mountains  shall  be  molten  under  Him, 
And  the  valleys  shall  be  cleft, 


of  the  world.  They  are  summoned 
not  as  judges  between  the  Lord 
and  Israel  (comp.  Jer.  vi.  i8f. ), 
but  as  interested  persons.  The 
judgment  against  Israel  is  con- 
ceived in  the  nature  of  a  world- 
judgment. 

witness]  i.  e.  accuser. 

against  you]  Of  course,  the 
nations  are  addressed,  not  Israel 
and  Judah. 

from  His  holy  temple}  i.  e. 
heaven  (Ibn  Ezra,  Kimhi).  The 
Hebrew  word  hekal  is  an  Assyrian 
loan-word  (ekallu,  from  Sumerian 
e-gal,  great  house},  and  properly 
designates  a  palace. 

3.  out  of  His  place~\  \.  e.,  as 
the  next  verb  shows,  heaven  ( Ibn 
Ezra;  comp.  Isa.  xxvi.  21;  Hosea 
v.  15).  The  Targum  paraphrases  : 
(is  about  to  reveal  Himself)  from 
the  place  of  abode  of  His  Presence 
(Shekinah).  Rashi  (comp.  Pales- 
tinian Talmud,  Ta'anit  65 b) :  from 
the  seat  of  mercy  to  the  seat  of 
judgment.  The  Midrash  (Gen. 


rabba,  ch.  xxxiii)  says:  "Woe 
to  the  wicked,  for  they  turn  the 
merciful  nature  of  God  into  se- 
verity." 

and  will  come  down,  and  tread 
upon  the  high  places  of  the  earth} 
Targum :  and  will  reveal  Him- 
self, and  trample  under  fool  the 
strong  of  the  earth  (the  haughty 
and  proud,  Rashi).  The  language, 
of  course,  is  figurative;  it  is  meant 
to  convey  the  majestic  greatness 
of  the  Lord  as  He  appears  to 
judge  the  world.  The  high  places 
of  a  country  are  its  mountains  and 
natural  strongholds;  to  tread  upon 
them  means  to  exercise  dominion 
over  the  country.  The  earth  with 
its  mountains  is  to  the  Lord  com- 
ing from  heaven  what  a  country 
with  its  fastnesses  is  to  a  foreign 
conqueror.  The  Lord,  manifesting 
Himself  as  Judge,  is  determined 
to  reduce  the  earth  to  the  primeval 
chaos  whence  it  came. 

4.  shall  be  molten ...  shall  be 
cleft}  The  natural  phenomena 


w.  5,  6.] 


MICAH,  I. 


As  wax  before  the  fire, 

As  waters  that  are  poured  down  a  steep  place. 

5.    The  cause  of  the  divine  manifestation. 
For  the  transgression  of  Jacob  is  all  this,  5 

And  for  the  sins  of  the  house  of  Israel. 
What  is  the  transgression  of  Jacob  ?  is  it  not  Samaria  ? 
And  what  are  the  high  places  of  Judah  ?  are  they  not 
Jerusalem  ? 

6,  7.    The  doom  of  Samaria. 
Therefore  I  will  make  of  Samaria  heaps  in  the  field,  6 


from  which  the  figures  are  derived 
are  earthquakes  and  volcanic  erup- 
tions. Jer.  iv.  23  ff.  shows  how, 
to  the  mind  of  the  prophets,  the 
divine  judgment  caused  by  Israel's 
sin  meant  nothing  short  of  a  cata- 
clysm reducing  the  earth  to  chaos. 

5.  THE  CAUSE  OF  THE  DIVINE 
MANIFESTATION. 

all  this}  \.  e.  the  divine  mani- 
festation and  the  consequences 
thereof. 

Jacob,  Israel]  The  two  names 
are  used  interchangeably ;  the 
prophet  has  in  mind  the  entire 
people.  In  the  second  half  of  the 
verse,  Jacob,  in  contrast  with 
Judah,  designates  the  northern 
kingdom. 

What  .  .  .  and  whaf]  The  He- 
brew properly  reads:  who  . .  .  and 
who.  Samaria  (Jerusalem)  is  not 
merely  the  seat  of  Israel's  (Ju- 


dah's)  sin  (Targum),  but  its  sin 
personified,  made  concrete  and 
tangible. 

the  high  places  ofjudah~\  The 
Masoretic  text  is  supported  by 
Symmachus  and  the  Vulgate.  It 
gives  particular  force  to  the  closing 
part  of  the  verse  that  the  prophet, 
instead  of  reserving  the  specifica- 
tion of  the  character  of  Judah's 
sin  for  a  later  part  of  his  address, 
incorporates  it,  by  way  of  anti- 
cipation, in  his  very  question. 
"And  what  are  (the  prophet 
pauses ;  the  listener  expects  the 
general  word  ' '  sins ' ' ;  the  prophet 
proceeds : )  the  high  places  of 
Judah?"  On  the  signification 
of  the  term  "high  places"  see 
Additional  Note  I. 

6,  7.    THE  DOOM  OF  SAMARIA. 

6.  heaps  in  the  fielJT\  i.  e. 
heaps  of  stones  scattered  over  a 


MICAH,  I. 


[v.  7- 


And  a  place  for  the  planting  of  vineyards  : 

And  I  will  pour  down  the  stones  thereof  into  the  valley, 

And  I  will  uncover  the  foundations  thereof. 

And  all  her  graven  images  shall  be  beaten  to  pieces, 

And  all  her  hires  shall  be  burned  with  fire, 

And  all  her  idols  will  I  lay  desolate : 

For  of  the  hire  of  a  harlot  hath  she  gathered  them, 

And  to  the  hire  of  a  harlot  shall  they  return. 


field     (comp.  iii.  12).       Perhaps 
we    should    read    mB>   "V1!    for 


and  I  will  pour  down,  &c.] 
From  the  top  of  the  hill  upon 
which  the  city  was  situated  (comp. 
I  Kings  xvi.  24).  This  prophecy 
was  made  good  by  John  Hyrcanus 
(Josephus,  Antiquities,  xiii.  28,  i). 
A  plausible  emendation  reads  : 
and  I  will  burn  the  stones  thereof 
into  lime  ("I??). 

7.  graven  images~\  Of  stone 
or  metal. 

and  all  her  hires}  The  "hire" 
is  the  payment  received  by  a 
harlot  or  by  a  temple-prostitute 
(in  the  impure  rites  of  the  Phoeni- 
cians in  particular,  immorality 
was  practised  in  the  worship  of  a 
deity,  and  in  the  immediate  pre- 
cincts of  the  temple  ;  comp.  Deut. 
xxiii.  19;  Isa.  xxiii.  17;  Ezek.  xvi. 
37).  The  prophets  (Hosea  and 
others)  represent  the  idolatrous 
cult  of  the  Israelites  under  the 


figure  of  conjugal  infidelity.  In 
our  passage  the  "hires"  apparent- 
ly designate  the  votive  images 
placed  in  the  temples  by  the 
grateful  people  or  by  individuals, 
for  favors  believed  to  have  been 
received  from  the  Baals.  They 
are  the  bribes  paid  to  the  para- 
mour deity  (comp.  Ezek.  xvi. 

33  f-,  40- 

will  I  lay  desolate']  The  verb 
does  not  fit  the  object ;  perhaps 
destruction  in  general  is  meant. 

of  the  hire  of  a  harlot~\  \.  e.  of 
her  wealth  conceived  as  the  gift 
of  the  Baals  (comp.  Hosea  ii.  14; 
also  verses  7-13  and  ix.  i;  simi- 
larly in  Isa.  xxiii.  17  f.  the  com- 
merce of  Tyre  is  spoken  of  as  the 
"hire"  of  her  harlotry  with  all 
the  world). 

hath  she  gathered  them']  So 
the  Greek  Version,  Rashi,  Ibn 
Ezra,  Kimhi  (the  object,  which  is 
wanting  in  the  Hebrew,  is  easily 
supplied  from  the  context,  =  her 


v.  8.] 


MICAH,  I. 


? — 1 6.      The  prophet  bewails  the  calamity  which  will  over- 
whelm Judah  likewise. 

For  this  will  I  wail  and  howl,  8 

I  will  go  stripped  and  naked : 


idols).  On  the  other  hand,  the 
Syriac  Version.  Vulgate,  Targum, 
Samuel  ha-Nagid,  Ibn  Ganah,  and 
many  moderns  take  the  verb  as 
a  passive;  hence :  have  they  been 
gathered. 

and  to  the  hire  of  a  harlot  shall 
they  return]  Either  in  the  sense 
that  they  (the  idols,  the  gold  and 
silver  of  which  they  are  made) 
shall  be  carried  away  by  the  vic- 
tors and  placed  by  them  as  votive 
offerings  in  the  temples  of  their 
gods  (Targum,  Ibn  Ezra,  Kimhi, 
Ewald,  and  others);  or,  prefer- 
ably, since  the  idols  are  doomed 
to  destruction,  in  a  proverbial 
sense,  that  they  shall  go  to  waste, 
as  money  spent  on  a  harlot  (Rashi 
and  Wellhausen). 

8 — 16.  THE  PROPHET  BEWAILS 
THE  CALAMITY  WHICH  WILL 
OVERWHELM  JUDAH  LIKEWISE. 
Comp.  Isa.  xxii.  4. 

8.  For  this]  i.  e.  the  impending 
destruction  of  Samaria. 

stripped]  So  Vulgate,  Ibn  Ezra, 
Kimhi.  The  Greek  Version  more 
specifically:  barefoot,  a  symbol 


of  mourning  or  self-abasement 
(comp.  II  Sam.  xv.  30;  Isa. 
xx.  2). 

naked]  Comp.  Isa.  xx.  2  and 
the  apocryphal  Ascension  of 
Isaiah,  ii.  10.  The  removal  of 
one's  garments  was  apparently 
meant  to  express  self-abasement, 
although  in  more  ancient  times  it 
may  have  expressed  passionate 
grief,  and  in  primitive  times  may 
have  been  associated  with  super- 
stitious rites.  The  rending  of 
one's  garments  frequently  referred 
to  in  Scripture  (II  Sam.  i.  n  ; 
iii.  31,  and  elsewhere)  seems  to 
have  been  symbolic  of  the  same 
ideas.  The  rabbis  fix  the  tear  at 
a  hand's-breadth  at  the  breast 
(Mo'edkaton  26  b,  Yoreh  De'ah, 
\  34°.  3)-  According  to  the  Mish- 
nah  (Mo'ed  katon  iii.  4),  it  was 
customary  for  mourners  to  bare 
their  arms  and  shoulders  (see 
Biichler,  Zeitschr.f.  alttestamentl. 
Wiss.,  xxi.  [1901],  81  ff. ).  Baring 
the  feet  (comp.  Ezek.  xxiv.  17)  is 
prescribed  in  a  Baraita  (Mo'ed 
katon  15  b  —  Yoreh  De'ah,  \  382). 


MICAH,  I. 


[vv.  9,  10. 


I  will  make  a  wailing  like  the  jackals, 

And  a  mourning  like  the  ostriches. 

For  her  wound  is  incurable: 

For  it  is  come  even  unto  Judah ; 

It    reacheth    unto    the    gate    of    my   people,    even     to 

Jerusalem. 
Tell  it  not  in  Gath, 


like  the  jackals}  So  Syriac 
Version  and  Tan  hum  of  Jerusalem 
(quoted  by  Roediger).  The  ren- 
dering "dragons"  is  given  by 
several  of  the  ancient  versions 
and  by  Saadya  and  Ibn  Ganah. 

like  the  ostriches}  "The  cry  of 
the  ostrich  which  is  often  emitted 
at  night  is  a  loud,  dolorous,  and 
stridulous  sound,  and  in  the  still- 
ness of  the  desert  plains  may  be 
heard  at  a  great  distance"  (Tris- 
tram, Fauna  and  Flora  of  Pales- 
tine, p.  109  f.,  233  f.). 

9.  her  wound ]  So  the  Greek 
and  Syriac  Versions  and  the  Vul- 
gate. The  Hebrew  text  may  be 
rendered  :  for  she  is  incurable  as 
to  her  wounds  (Joseph  Kara). 

for  it  is  come]  i.  e.  the  wound, 
the  stroke. 

even  unto  Judah]  Spreading 
from  Samaria.  When  Samaria 
was  destroyed  (in  722),  Judah 
was  not  molested.  Soon  enough 
(720),  however,  the  Palestinian 
states  were  in  rebellion.  At  first 


Judah  seems  to  have  remained 
neutral.  But  in  713  another  revolt 
was  started  by  Azuri,  king  of  Ash- 
dod.  This  time  Judah  along  with 
Edom  and  Moab  joined  in  the 
movement.  Ashdod  was  captured 
in  711,  and  quiet  restored.  Jeru- 
salem escaped  the  fate  of  the 
Philistine  city  by  timely  submis- 
sion. Micah's  fears,  however, 
uttered  in  the  beginning  of  the 
campaign,  were  well-grounded 
(comp.  Isa.  xx.  i  ;  see  Paton, 
loc.  cit.,  p.  246  ff.). 

it  reacheth]  A  letter  appears 
to  be  missing  in  the  Hebrew  (read 

HI?::  for  y::). 

unto  the  gate  of  my  people] 
The  gate  metonymically  for  the 
city,  the  principal  part  of  which 
was  the  place  before  the  gate,  its 
political  centre.  "  My  people  "  = 
Judah. 

10.  Tell  it  not  in  Gath]  The 
words  are  usually  interpreted  to 
mean  that  the  tidings  of  the  ca- 
lamity of  Judah  should  be  kept 


V.    II.] 


MICAH,  I. 


Weep  not  at  all : 

At  Beth-le-Aphrah  roll  thyself  in  the  dust. 
Pass  ye  away,   O  inhabitant    of  Shaphir,  in   nakedness  n 
and  shame : 


from  the  knowledge  of  Philistine 
Gath  (comp.  II  Sam.i.  20).  Gath, 
however,  seems  to  figure  here, 
together  with  the  Judaean  villages, 
as  a  town  along  the  route  of  the 
Assyrian  army.  The  tone  appears 
to  be  one  of  mock  pity :  Tell  it 
not  in  Gath,  for  the  tidings  will 
be  painful  to  her.  The  prophet, 
as  in  the  following  instances,  plays 
on  the  name  of  the  city  (be- Gat  al 
taggidii}.  Graetz  conjectures  that 
the  prophet  is  alluding  to  the 
Judaean  Gittaim  (II  Sam.  iv.  3; 
Neh.  xi.  33),  or  to  the  Danite 
Gath-Rimmon  (Joshua  xix.  45). 

weep  not  at  all~\  So  all  the 
ancient  versions  with  the  excep- 
tion of  the  Greek.  The  latter, 
aside  from  misreading  the  verb 
(13231  for  1220),  recognized  in  the 
first  Hebrew  word  the  name  of  a 
town,2fattUwi  (not  as  some  manu- 
scripts read,  Akko,  which  lay  too 
far  to  the  north  }  =  Bochitn,  a  town 
near  Bethel  (comp.  Judges  ii. 
1,5).  The  negative  still  presents 
a  difficulty. 

Beth-le-AphraK\  Site  unknown. 
The  name  suggests  to  the  prophet 
the  meaning  Dust-town. 


roll  thyself  in]  So  the  Jewish 
commentators.  The  ancient  ver- 
sions for  the  most  part  render : 
besprinkle  thyself  with.  In  the 
Hebrew  there  is  an  additional 
play  on  Philistia  (hitpallashi) ; 
hence  the  locality  must  have  been 
situated  on  or  near  Philistine  terri- 
tory. Rolling  in  dust  (or  covering 
the  head  with  dust)  is  a  sign  of 
mourning  (comp.  Joshua  vii.  6,  and 
elsewhere),  just  as  sitting  or  lying 
in  dust  is  a  symbol  of  humiliation 
(Isa.  xxix.  4  and  elsewhere). 

ii.  Pass  ye  away,  &c.]  The 
Hebrew  text  presents  consider- 
able difficulty.  There  is  incon- 
gruity in  number,  so  far  as  the 
first  two  words  are  concerned ; 
while  a  syntactical  difficulty  at- 
taches to  the  last  two.  The  paro- 
nomasia, it  seems,  gives  way  here 
to  thought-incongruity.  Shaphir 
(identified  with  modern  Sawafir, 
S.  E.  of  Ashdod  ;  others  think  of 
the  Judaean  town  Shamir,  Joshua 
xv.  48,  for  which  a  group  of  Greek 
manuscripts  read  Shaphir}  = 
Beauty-town,  is  to  go  into  exile  (?) 
with  her  shame  exposed  (so  Jewish 
commentators). 


MICAH,  I. 


[VV.    12,    13. 


The  inhabitant  of  Zaanan  is  not  come  forth ; 

The    wailing    of    Beth-ezel    shall    take    from    you    the 

standing-place  thereof. 

For  the  inhabitant  of  Maroth  waiteth  anxiously  for  good  : 
Because  evil  is  come  down  from  the  Lord  unto  the  gate 

of  Jerusalem. 
Bind  the  chariots  to  the  steeds,  O  inhabitant  of  Lachish : 


Zaanan~\  Thought  to  be  the 
same  as  Zenan,  Joshua  xv.  37  ;  site 
unknown ;  =  March-town. 

is  not  come  forth~\  i.  e.  has  not 
marched  out  to  battle  (comp. 
Amos  v.  3),  or  is  shut  in  by  siege 
(comp.  Joshua  vi.  i). 

the  wailing,  &c.]  Beth-ezel 
unknown.  "The  standing-place 
thereof"  is  supposed  to  mean  the 
possibility  of  remaining  there,  i.  e. 
it  will  afford  you  no  refuge.  But 
the  text  is  exceedingly  dubious. 

12.  MarotJi}  Site  unknown ; 
=  Bitter-town. 

waiteth  anxiously}  So  Sym- 
machus,Theodotion,Targum,  Ibn 
Ganah,  Rashi.  The  inhabitant  of 
Bitter-town  waiting  for  good  — 
what  a  contradiction  !  Aquila, 
Syriac  Version,  Vulgate,  Mena- 
hem  bar  Helbo,  Ibn  Ezra,  Kimhi 
translate  less  plausibly :  is  in 
travail  (anguish)  for  the  good 
(which  has  passed  away). 

because  evil,  &c.]  Supply:  but 
they  will  be  disappointed. 


13.  Bind  the  chariots  to  the 
steeds  ]  The  meaning  of  the  verb 
is  gathered  from  the  context.  It 
is  objected  that  the  horse  is  har- 
nessed to  the  chariot,  and  not  the 
reverse.  Perhaps,  disregarding 
the  accentuation,  we  ought  to 
render  (comp.  theTargum):  Bind 
the  chariots,  to  horse!  The  in- 
habitants of  Lachish  are  ad- 
monished to  take  to  flight  (Kimhi 
and  others);  or,  the  prophet  iron- 
ically bids  them  prepare  their 
chariots  and  mount  their  horses 
— all  in  vain  (nearly  so  Ibn  Ezra). 
The  Hebrew  word  for  steeds 
(rekesfi)  is  chosen  as  a  play  on 
the  name  of  the  city. 

Lachish~\  A  city  in  the  Shephe- 
lah,  in  existence  as  far  back  as  the 
fifteenth  pre-Christian  century. 
It  has  been  identified  with  the 
mound  Tell-el-Hesy  See  F.  J. 
Bliss,  A  Mound  of  Many  Cities ; 
or  Tell-el-Hesy  Excavated,  1898 ; 
Flinders  Petrie,  Tell-el-Hesy,  a 
Memoir,  1891.  As  a  fortified  city 


v.  I4-] 


MICAH,  I. 


It  is  the  chiefest  sin  of  the  daughter  of  Zion ; 
For  the  transgressions  of  Israel  are  found  in  thee. 
Therefore  shalt  thou  give  a  parting  gift  to  Moresheth-  14 
gath: 


it  is  mentioned  II  Chron.  xi.  9; 
Jer.  xxxiv.  7.  Sennacherib  cap- 
tured it  while  on  his  way  to  Egypt, 
and  sent  the  Rabshakeh  thence  to 
Jerusalem  (II  Kings  xviii.  14,  17; 
xix.  8).  A  bas-relief  commemo- 
rating Sennacherib's  successes  in 
Lachish  is  preserved  in  the  British 
Museum.  In  the  language  of  G. 
A.  Smith  (Historical  Geography 
of  the  Holy  Land,  p.  235),  it  was 
"an  outpost,  a  customs-station, 
between  Judaea  and  Egypt ;  war 
and  commerce  both  swept  past 
her". 

if]  i.  e.  the  military  equipment. 
Or,  they,  i.-  e.  those  chariots  and 
horses.  Less  plausibly :  she,  i.  e. 
Lachish  (Kimhi). 

the  chiefest  siri\  The  sin  of 
Lachish  was  not  "some  specific 
idolatrous  cult"  (Ibn  Ezra,  Kim- 
hi), but  its  horses  and  chariots 
and  its  equipment  as  a  fortress 
on  the  Egyptian  border.  The 
prophets,  as  the  representatives 
of  the  convictions  of  the  Mosaic 
times,  have  a  natural  aversion  to 
the  civilization  of  their  day. 
Treasures  of  gold  and  silver 
which  old  Israel  did  not  possess, 


the  palatial  mansions  of  the  rich, 
the  luxury  of  the  women,  and,  in 
a  higher  degree  still,  chariots  and 
horses  are  viewed  by  them  as 
foreign  importations  from  Nine- 
veh or  Babylon  or  Memphis.  The 
defiant  display  of  human  strength 
which  renders  the  divine  help 
seemingly  unnecessary  is  partic- 
ularly obnoxious  to  them.  The 
leaning  on  the  great  powers,  now 
on  Assyria,  now  on  Egypt,  is  in 
their  judgment  apostasy.  The 
Law  (Deut.  xvii.  16  f. )  forbids  the 
king  to  keep  a  large  number  of 
horses  imported  from  Egypt,  or 
store  up  treasures  of  gold  and 
silver.  Solomon,  the  very  opposite 
of  the  type  of  an  ideal  king,  had 
special  cities  for  his  chariots  and 
horses  (I  Kings  ix.  9;  x.  26);  the 
latter  were  imported  from  Egypt 
(ibid.,  x.  28  f. ).  Lachish  apparent- 
ly was  such  a  city;  there  were 
kept  the  horses  and  chariots  of 
the  king  of  Judah  —  the  chiefest 
sin  of  Zion. 

Israeli  The  ideal  name  for  the 
entire  people. 

14.     Therefore  shalt  thou  give] 
In  all  probability  the  "daughter 


26 


MICAH,  I. 


[v.  15. 


The  houses  of  Achzib  shall  be  a  deceitful  thing  unto  the 

kings  of  Israel. 
15       I  will  yet  bring  unto  thee,  O  inhabitant  of  Mareshah, 

him  that  shall  possess  thee : 
The  glory  of  Israel  shall  come  even  unto  Adullam. 


of  Zion"  is  addressed,  although 
in  the  verse  immediately  pre- 
ceding Lachish  is  addressed. 

a  parting  gift}  So  Aquila, 
Symmachus,  Theodotion,  Tar- 
gum,  Joseph  Kara,  Ibn  Ezra, 
Kimhi  (comp.  I  Kings  ix.  16); 
i.  e.  the  gift  which  a  father  gives 
to  his  daughter  on  her  marriage. 
The  prophet  plays  on  the  name 
of  the  town  which  suggests  to  him 
the  word  meaning  a  betrothed 
woman  (m[e}oreseth).  Others 
(Syriac  Version,  Menahem  bar 
Helbo,Rashi,  and  many  moderns) 
render:  dismissal,  i.  e.  divorce. 
The  city  is  to  go  into  captivity. 

Moresheth-gath~\  Apparently 
the  same  as  the  town  which  was 
the  home  of  the  prophet  (see  In- 
troduction, \  i).  The  name  indi- 
cates that  it  was  situated  in  the 
territory  of  Gath. 

the  houses']  Not  necessarily  the 
temples  (Kimhi),  but  the  entire 
town  with  all  its  houses. 

Achzib}  A  Judaean  town  (Gen. 


xxxviii.  5 ;  Joshua  xv.  44 ;  in  the 
latter  passage  it  is  mentioned  by 
the  side  of  Mareshah).  The 
name  suggests  the  adjective  fol- 
lowing. 

a  deceitful  thing}  The  Hebrew 
word  (akzab)  is  usually  applied 
to  the  brooks  in  the  steppes,  the 
waters  of  which  dry  up  in  the  sum- 
mer, thus  deceiving  the  traveller 
(comp.Jer.  xv.  18,  and  especially 
the  beautiful  poetic  description, 
Job  vi.  15  ff. ). 

unto  the  kings  of  Israel}  Kings 
in  the  plural  =  dynasty.  Israel  = 
Judah. 

15.  Mareshah}  Identified  with 
modern  Marash. 

him  that  shall  possess  thee}  In 
Hebrew  (ha-yoresh)  there  is  a 
play  on  the  name  of  the  town. 

the  glory}  Either  =  wealth,  or 
nobility. 

come}   i.  e.  flee  (?). 

Adullam}  Comp.  Joshua  xv.  35. 
Modern  site  not  quite  certain. 
There  is  no  play  on  the  name 
here ;  possibly  the  text  is  corrupt. 


vv.  16 ;   I.] 


MICAH,   I,  II. 


27 


Make  thee  bald,  and   poll  thee  for  the  children  of  thy  16 

delight : 

Enlarge  thy  baldness  as  the  vulture ; 
For  they  are  gone  into  captivity  from  thee. 

CHAP.  II.  i — 5.    The  sins  of  the  rich  and  their  corresponding 
punishment. 

Woe  to  them  that  devise  iniquity  and  work  evil  upon  i 

their  beds  ! 

When  the  morning  is  light,  they  execute  it, 
Because  it  is  in  the  power  of  their  hand. 


1 6.  Make  thee  bald,  and  poll 
thee~\  Poll  =  cut  the  hair  of  the 
head.  Shaving  the  head  was  a 
mourning  custom  (comp.  Isa. 
xv.  2,  and  elsewhere),  which,  how- 
ever, is  forbidden  in  the  Law 
(Deut.  xiv.  i);  probably  a  sign  of 
grief  and  self-abasement,  though 
in  primitive  times  perhaps  con- 
nected with  superstitious  con- 
ceptions. 

the  children  of  thy  delight] 
\.  e.  thy  tenderly  loved  children. 

as  the  vulture~\  More  specifically 
the  griffon-vulture  with  neck  and 
head  "destitute  of  true  feathers, 
and  either  naked,  or  thinly  cov- 
ered with  a  powdery  down" 
(Tristram,  loc.  cit.,  p.  172  ff. ). 

they  are  gone~\  The  tense  is 
prophetic.  Subject:  thy  children. 
3 


Of  course,  the  "daughter  of  Zion" 
is  addressed  in  the  closing  verse. 

CHAPTER  II. 

1  —  5.  THE  SINS  OF  THE  RICH 
AND  THEIR  CORRESPONDING 
PUNISHMENT. 

I.  and  work  evil]  "Work" 
means  here  the  same  as  "plot" 
(comp.  Ps.  Iviii.  3). 

upon  their  beds}  At  night  time 
when  men  are  alone  with  their 
own  thoughts,  the  pious  commune 
with  God  (Ps.  Ixiii.  7),  but  the 
wicked  devise  evil  against  their 
fellow-men. 

they  execute  it]  Comp.  Hosea 
xi.  9;  "  it "  in  a  neuter  sense. 

because  it  is  in  the  power  of 
their  hand]  And  "might  is 
right." 


28 


MICAH,  II. 


[vv.  2-4. 


And  when  they  covet  fields, — they  seize  them ; 

And  when  they  covet  houses, — they  take  them  away : 

Thus  they  oppress  a  man  and  his  house, 

Even  a  man  and  his  heritage. 

Therefore  thus  saith  the  Lord: 

Behold,  against  this  family  do  I  devise  an  evil, 

From  which  ye  shall  not  remove  your  necks, 

Neither  shall  ye  walk  upright; 

For  it  shall  be  an  evil  time. 

In  that  day  shall  they  take  up  a  parable  against  you. 


2.  they  covet]    Thus  breaking 
the  tenth  commandment  (Exod. 
xx.  17). 

seize  them]  By  violence,  as 
in  the  case  of  Naboth  (I  Kings 
xxi). 

oppress]  i.  e.  do  injustice  to. 
The  injustice  is  felt  not  only  by 
the  persons,  but  as  it  were  also 
by  the  things.  See  Additional 
Note  II. 

3.  family]    The  word  in  the 
larger  sense  for  a  group  of  people 
related  by  blood,  a  kindred,  tribe, 
or  race.     The  Hebrew  equivalent 
usually    denotes  the  subdivision 
of  a  tribe,  a  clan  (Joshua  vii.  14), 
but  also  the  tribe  itself  (Judges 
xiii.    12),     and     even    a    larger 
national    aggregate    (Jer.  x.  25, 
and  elsewhere).     See  Additional 
Note  III. 

devise  an   evil]    The    punish- 


ment corresponds  to  their  sin 
(comp.  verse  i;  Joseph  Kara). 

remove  yoiir  necks]  The  evil 
as  it  will  press  upon  them  and 
keep  them  down  is  likened  to  a 
yoke.  Of  course,  foreign  servitude 
is  meant. 

upright]    i.  e.  as  freemen. 

for  it  shall  be  an  evil  time] 
Reference  is  to  the  judgment 
when  it  comes. 

4.  lake  up  a  parable]  The 
Hebrew  equivalent  (mashal}  de- 
notes a  poem  constructed  in 
parallel  sentences  expressing  re- 
lated ideas,  but  also  in  general  a 
prophetic,  figurative  discourse,  in 
particular  one  containing  veiled 
allusions  of  a  character  at  once 
pathetic  and  ironical  (comp.  Isa. 
xiv.  4 ;  Hab.  ii.  6 ;  also  Num. 
xxi.  27). 


v.  5-1 


MICAH,  II. 


29 


And  lament  with  a  doleful  lamentation,  and  say, 

'  We  are  utterly  undone : 

He  changeth  the  portion  of  my  people : 

How  doth  he  remove  it  from  me  ! 

Instead  of  restoring  our  fields,  he  divideth  them.' 

Therefore  thou  shalt  have  none  that  shall  cast  the  line  5 

by  lot 
In  the  congregation  of  the  Lord. 


and  lament  with  a  doleful  la- 
mentation] So  Kimhi  (similarly 
Targum  and  Syriac  Version). 
The  Greek  Bible  and  the  Vulgate 
render:  with  a  melodious  lamen- 
tation. Possibly  the  Hebrew  text 
contains  three  letters  thought- 
lessly repeated  (nvfrnj).  We 
should  perhaps  render  simply: 
and  sing  a  lamentation  (an  elegy). 

and  say]  Perhaps,  with  the 
change  of  a  single  letter  (1  into  ^>): 
saying. 

he  changeth  the  portion  of  my 
people]  The  subject  is  indefinite ; 
the  enemy  is  meant  (Ibn  Ganah). 
The  verb,  however,  is  inappro- 
priate ;  perhaps  we  ought  to  read 
with  the  Greek  Version :  he  meas- 
ured offClttzy,  i.  e.  apportions 
among  his  own. 

how  doth  he  remove  it  from  me] 
Or,  how  doth  it  depart  from  me! 

Instead  of  restoring,  &c.]  So 
Ibn  Ezra  and  Kimhi.  The  versions 


vary  in  their  interpretation  of  the 
text  which,  with  minor  changes, 
was  read  by  them  all.  It  is 
impossible  to  elicit  a  satisfactory 
sense.  So  much  is  clear,  that  the 
rich  landlords  who  steal  the  fields 
of  the  poor  shall  be  punished  in 
losing  them  to  the  enemy  (Ibn 
Ezra). 

5.  thoii]  The  individual  be- 
longing to  the  class  of  grasping 
landlords  is  addressed  ( Ibn  Ezra). 
Possibly,  however,  a  letter  has 
dropped  out  in  the  original 
(TTPDtb^);  we  should  render 
accordingly:  ye, 

none]  i.  e.  neither  son  nor 
daughter  (Ibn  Ezra,  Kimhi). 

the  line']  i.  e.  the  measuring- 
cord  (comp.  II  Sam.  viii.  2). 

by  lot]  Lots,  probably  con- 
sisting of  stones  put  into  the 
fold  of  a  garment  (Prov.  xvi.  33), 
or  into  a  vessel,  and  shaken, 
were  cast,  among  other  purposes, 


3° 


MICAH,  II. 


[vv.  6,  7. 


6,  7.    The  rebuked  impatient  with  the  stern  propliet. 
'Talk  ye  not,'  tints  they  talk: 
'  They  shall  not  talk  of  these  things, 
That  they  shall  not  take  shame.' 
Shall  the  house  of  Jacob  say, 
'  Is  the  spirit  of  the  Lord  waxed  short  ? 


for  the  assignment  of  property 
(comp.  Num.  xxvi.  33-36).  The 
reference  is  to  the  distribution 
of  a  man's  property  among  his 
children  after  his  death. 

in  the  congregation  of  the  Lord~\ 
A  solemn  name  for  the  people  of 
Israel.  Membership  therein  is 
every  Israelite's  by  birth;  exactly 
as  he  succeeds  to  his  patrimony 
upon  the  death  of  his  father,  so 
does  he  take  his  father's  place 
in  the  community,  both  in  the 
smaller  community  of  the  town 
and  in  the  larger  community  of 
the  nation.  See  Additional 
Note  III. 

6,  7.  THE  REBUKED  IMPATIENT 
WITH  THE  STERN  PROPHET. 

6.  '  Talk  ye  not,''  thus  they  talk~\ 
The  rebuked  sinners  address 
prophets  like  Micah  with  the  re- 
quest that  they  shall  not  talk  to 
them  (Ibn  Ezra,  Kimhi,  Ewald). 
Amos  and  Isaiah  record  similar 
experiences  (Amos  vii.  16 ;  Isa. 
xxx.  10  f.).  There  is  a  contemp- 
tuous note  in  the  Hebrew  verb, 


which  properly  means  to  "drop," 
or  "  drivel,"  with  reference  to  the 
drivelling  mouth  of  the  common 
prophets  in  their  fits  of  epileptic 
ecstasy. 

they  shall  not  talk,  &c.]  So 
Rashi,  Ibn  Ezra,  Kimhi.  The 
people  are  supposed  to  be  speak- 
ing one  to  another.  The  prophets 
must  not  talk  of  these  things,  of 
punishment  and  the  like.  If  they 
do,  they  will  receive  ignominious 
treatment  at  our  hands. 

7.  Shall  the  hotise  of  Jacob  say\ 
The  rendering  presupposes  the 
slight  change  of  a  vowel  (TIDSH 
for  "l-IDKn ) ,  which  seems  to  be  sup- 
ported by  the  Targum.  The 
prophet  anticipates  the  people's 
query,  or  really  hears  it,  and  ex- 
presses his  astonishment. 

Is  the  spirit  of  the  Lord  waxed 
short~\  In  the  idiom  of  the  Biblical 
language,  long  of  spirit  means 
"patient,"  "forbearing,"  and 
short  of  spirit,  "impatient." 
Spirit  is  used  in  the  sense  of 
"temper,"  especially  "anger." 


v.  8.] 


MICAH,  II. 


Are  these  His  doings  ?  ' 

Do    not    My    words    do    good   to    him    that    walketh 
uprightly  ? 

8 —  i  o.    The  doings  of  the  rich  once  more  described. 

But  of  late  they  have  made  of  My  people  an  enemy ; 
With  the  garment,  ye  strip  also  the  mantle 


Is  the  Lord,  ask  the  people  in 
feigned  piety,  given  to  anger  and 
impatience  ? 

Are  these  His  doings~\  i.  e.  are 
the  punishments  announced  by 
the  prophet  ( verse  3  ff. )  conso- 
nant with  the  divine  character  ? 

Do  not  My  words,  &c.]  The 
Lord's  answer  to  the  people's 
query ;  or  the  prophet's  answer 
to  his  own  question.  The  prophets 
frequently  identify  themselves 
with  the  Lord  in  whose  name 
they  speak.  The  Lord's  words 
are  at  once  His  deeds  (Ps.  xxxiii. 
9  ;  Isa.  Iv.  1 1 )  ;  hence  it  can  be 
said  of  them  that  they  do  good. 

to  him  that  walketh  uprightly'] 
Why,  then,  O  house  of  Jacob,  do 
you  not  change  your  conduct? 
Walk  uprightly,  and  the  Lord 
will  rejoice  to  do  you  good.  If 
you  persist  in  your  evil  conduct, 
the  Lord  must  punish  you,  though 
it  be  contrary  to  His  nature  to 
punish. 


8 — 10.  THE  DOINGS  OF  THE 
RICH  ONCE  MORE  DESCRIBED. 

8.  of  late~\  Hebrew :  yesterday 
(so  the  Greek  Version,  Sym- 
machus,  and  the  Midrash  [Exod. 
rabba,  ch.  xlii],  which,  with  a 
view  to  the  present  passage,  re- 
marks that  Israel's  enthusiasm, 
displayed  at  the  time  of  the  divine 
manifestation  on  Mount  Sinai, 
lasted  but  one  day :  ' '  Yesterday 
ye  said,  We  will  do  and  hearken 
[Exod.  xxiv.  7],  but  to-day,  This 
is  thy  God,  O  Israel  [ibid.,  xxxii. 
4]"),  i.  e.  the  other  day,  quite 
recently,  thus  emphasizing  the 
contrast  between  the  accusations 
which  they  bring  forward  against 
the  haste  of  the  divine  punish- 
ment, and  their  own  wickedness. 
Aquila,  Targum,  Rashi,  Ibn 

v 

Ganah,  on  the  other  hand,  take 
the     Hebrew    in     the    sense    of 
"against."      See    the    following 
note. 
they  have  made  of  My  people 


MICAH,  II. 


[vv.  9,  10. 


From  them  that  pass  by  securely,  so  that  they  are  as 

they  that  return  from  war. 
9      The  women  of  My  people  ye  cast  out  from  their  pleasant 

houses ; 
From  their  young  children  ye  take  away  My  glory  for 

ever. 
10       Arise  ye,  and  depart;  for  this  is  not  your  resting-place: 


an  enemy}  This  is  the  approxi- 
mate sense  of  the  Hebrew. 
"They,"  impersonal  subject;  you 
(Ibn  Ganah,  Wellhausen)  would 
suit  the  context  much  better. 
"My  people,"  i.  e.  the  poor 
classes  (comp.  Exod.  xxii.  24 ; 
Kimhi).  Menahem  bar  Helbo 
renders  less  plausibly :  My  people 
is  risen  up  as  an  enemy.  The  text 
may  have  read  originally :  But 
ye  rise  up  as  an  enemy  against 
My  people  (Wellhausen). 

with  the  garment,  ye  strip  also 
the  mantle'}  So  Joseph  Kimhi. 
The  garment  is  the  poor  man's 
cover  by  night  (Exod.  xxii.  25  f. ). 
The  mantle  (read  perhaps 
}1t3^3r>  Th~IX)  need  not  be  a  pre- 
tentious cloak  (of  the  kind  de- 
scribed in  Joshua  vii.  21),  but  a 
plain  mantle  similar  to  those  worn 
by  the  prophets  (I  Kings  xix.  13  ; 
Zech.  xiii.  4). 

from  them  that  pass  by,  &c.] 
So  the  Jewish  commentators. 


Peaceful  passers-by  are  mal- 
treated, stripped  of  their  garments 
and  despoiled  as  those  who  come 
back  from  war.  The  text  is  diffi- 
cult. 

9.  The  women  of  My  people, 
&c.]    The  allusion  is  unclear.    It 
is  possible  that  the  prophet  has  in 
mind  the  ejection  of  poor  tenants 
from  their  dwellings.  Even  women 
and  children  are  not  spared. 

My  glory}  No  satisfactory  ex- 
planation can  be  given  of  the  word 
"glory"  in  the  present  context. 
The  text  is  certainly  obscure. 

10.  Arise  ye,  and  depart}  The 
Greek  Version  has  the  singular: 
Arise    thou,    and    depart.      The 
people  as  a  whole,   or  the  com- 
munity,   is    addressed :      Depart 
hence  into  exile. 

for  this  is  not  your  resting- 
place'}  The  Greek  reads :  for  it 
is  not  for  thee,  this  resting-place. 
Palestine  is  called  a  place  of  rest 
for  Israel  (Deut.  xii.  9);  but  it  is 
not  for  you ;  you  must  go  hence. 


W.   II,   12.] 


MICAH,  II. 


33 


Because  of  the  uncleanness  tliereof,  it  shall  destroy  you, 
even  with  a  sore  destruction. 

1 1 .    The  popular  prophet. 

If  a  man  walking  in  wind  and  falsehood  do  lie,  saying, 
'I  will  talk  unto  thee  of  wine  and  of  strong  drink'; 
He  shall  even  be  the  prophet  of  this  people. 

1 2,  1 3.    A  passage  of  disputed  meaning  and  connection. 

I  will  surely  assemble,  O  Jacob,  all  of  thee ; 

I  will  surely  gather  the  remnant  of  Israel ; 

I  will  render  them  all  as  sheep  in  a  sheepfold : 


because  of  the  imcleanness 
thereof]  i.  e.  because  you  have 
defiled  the  land  by  your  evil  deeds. 
The  Torah  (Lev.  xviii.  25  ff. ) 
speaks  of  Palestine  as  defiled  by 
the  Canaanites  and  warns  Israel 
not  to  imitate  their  abominations, 
"that  the  land  vomit  not  you  out 
also,  when  ye  defile  it,  as  it 
vomited  out  the  nation  that  was 
before  you." 

it  shall  destroy,  &c.  ]  So  Kimhi. 
Probably,  however,  on  the  basis 
of  the  Greek  Version,  we  should 
read  :  ye  shall  be  destroyed,  even 
with  a  sore,  or  complete,  destruc- 
tion (Sun  -i^nn). 

II.      THE  POPULAR  PROPHET. 

walking  in  wind]  i.  e.  fol- 
lowing after  wind,  after  things 
as  unsubstantial  and  delusive  as 


the  wind ;  the  second  noun  ex- 
plains the  first. 

/  will  talk,  &c.]  The  easy- 
going, flattering  false  prophet  is 
introduced  as  speaking.  He  de- 
ludes the  people  with  the  assur- 
ance that  all  is  well,  and  that  no 
evil  need  be  feared. 

he  shall  even  be,  &c.]  Such 
prophets  are  acceptable  to  the 
people.  Contrast  the  unpopular 
prophet  who  preaches  of  duty  and 
of  the  punishment  which  must 
follow  its  infringement  (verse  6). 

12,  13.  A  PASSAGE  OF  DIS- 
PUTED MEANING  AND  CONNEC- 
TION. See  Introduction,  $8. 

12.  /  will  render  them  all] 
Supply  from  the  end  of  the  verse : 
a  bustling,  noisy  mass  of  people. 
The  English  Bible  (/  will  put 


34 


MICAH,  II. 


13- 


As  a  flock  in  the  midst  of  their  pasture, 

They  shall  make  great  noise  by  reason  of  the  multitude  of 

men. 

13       The  breaker  is  gone  up  before  them: 
They  have  broken  forth  and  passed  on, 
By  the  gate,  and  are  gone  out  thereat : 
And  their  king  is  passed  on  before  them, 
And  the  Lord  at  the  head  of  them. 


them  together}  misunderstands 
the  Hebrew  idiom. 

as  sheep  in  a  sheepfold]  The 
rendering  (Targum  followed  by 
Rashi,  Vulgate,  and  apparently 
also  Aquila  and  Symmachus)  im- 
plies perhaps  a  different  vocali- 
zation (be-sirah ;  in  Arabic  the 
word  means  "enclosure  for 
cattle").  The  English  Version 
(following  Ibn  Ezra  and  Kimhi) 
takes  the  Hebrew  word  as  Bozrah, 
capital  of  the  land  of  Edom 
(Amos  i.  12).  Others  think  of  the 
Moabite  Bozrah  (Jer.  xlviii.  24; 
the  same  as  Bezer,  Deut.  iv.  43). 
Moab  was  a  land  rich  in  cattle, 
particularly  in  sheep  (II  Kings 
iii.  4).  The  sheep  of  Bozrah  or 
Bezer  may  have  been  as  famous 
as  the  kine  of  Bashan  (Amos 
iv.  i),  or  the  rams  of  Nebaioth 
(Isa.  Ix.  7). 

as  a  flock  in  the  midst  of  their 
pasture}  The  Hebrew  presents  a 


mixture  of  two  readings:  (i)  a 
pasture  ;  (2)  their  pasture. 

they]  The  grammatical  subject 
in  Hebrew  is  the  word  sheep,  to 
which  the  verbal  form  is  con- 
tiguous, but  the  logical  subject  is 
clearly  the  people,  Jacob-Israel. 

shall  make  great  noise]  i.  e. 
the  loud,  indistinct,  confused  noise 
of  a  large  mass  of  people. 

13.  The  breaker]  i.  e.  the  bell- 
wether, which  breaks  through  the 
gate  of  the  enclosure  first  (Ibn 
Ezra).  Some  ancients  (the  Tar- 
gum  followed  by  Rashi,  Vulgate) 
understand  by  the  breaker  the  re- 
deemer who  is  to  lead  the  people 
out  of  exile,  or  the  one  who  will 
pave  the  way  for  the  advent  of  the 
Messiah  ( Elijah  ;  so  an  ancient 
Midrash  quoted  by  Kimhi;  comp. 
also  Gen.  rabba,  ch.  Ixxxv), 
or  the  Lord  Himself  (so  Lev. 
rabba,  ch.  xxxii,  and  apparently 
Pesikta  rabbeti,  ed.  Friedmann, 


VV.   I,   2.] 


MICAH,  III. 


35 


CHAP.  III.  i — 4.     Arraignment  of  the  ruling  class. 

And  I  said, 

Hear,  I  pray  you,  ye  heads  of  Jacob, 
And  rulers  of  the  house  of  Israel : 
Is  it  not  for  you  to  know  justice? 
Who  hate  the  good,  and  love  the  evil ; 


p.  161).  Joseph  Kimhi  believes 
that  Zedekiah  is  referred  to,  who 
fled  from  Jerusalem  by  night, "  by 
the  way  of  the  gate  between  the 
two  walls,  which  was  by  the  king's 
garden"  (Jer.  Hi.  7;  comp. 
Ezek.  xii.  12).  It  is  worthy  of 
note  that  a  manuscript  of  the 
Greek  Bible  (cod.  91  in  Holmes- 
Parsons)  contains  the  word  Zede- 
kiah above  the  word  "king." 

they  have  broken  forth  and 
passed  oti]  The  people  follow 
close  upon  the  breaker. 

by  the  gate]  Supply:  they 
have  broken. 

their  king]  i.  e.  the  Messiah; 
or,  the  Lord  Himself  (comp. 
Jer.  viii.  19). 

CHAPTER  III. 

i — 4.  ARRAIGNMENT  OF  THE 
RULING  CLASS.  Their  principal 
sin  consists  in  the  maladministra- 
tion of  justice.  The  prophet  an- 
nounces their  punishment. 

i.  And  I  said]  The  pronoun 
is  without  stress.  A  fresh  start. 


rulers]  i.  e.  men  in  authority. 
The  Hebrew  word  (kasin}  is 
perhaps  related  to  the  Arabic 
kadi(n),  "judge." 

is  it  not  for  you~\  i.  e.  your 
province  and  duty. 

to  know]  That  is  :  to  regard. 
Knowing,  in  Hebrew,  often  im- 
plies, above  mere  intellectual 
cognition,  taking  note  of  an  ob- 
ject, considering  it  of  value  or 
moment  so  as  to  care  for  it. 

justice]  i.  e.  right  relations 
between  men,  more  particularly 
between  the  rich  and  the  poor, 
or,  more  abstractly,  the  idea  of 
just  relationship  or  of  right. 

2.  Who  hate,  &c.]  Properly 
the  prophet  meant  to  say,  Ye 
hate,  &c.,  this  being  the  subject 
to  which  he  invites  the  attention  of 
the  leaders  addressed  in  verse  i ; 
but,  carried  away  by  indignation, 
with  his  finger,  so  to  speak,  still 
pointed  at  them,  he  continues,  be- 
yond the  query  at  the  end  of  verse 
i,  in  the  same  style  of  direct  ad- 


MICAH,  III. 


[w.  3,  4. 


Who  rob  their  skin  from  off  them, 

And  their  flesh  from  off  their  bones ; 

Who  also  eat  the  flesh  of  my  people, 

And  flay  their  skin  from  off  them, 

And  break  their  bones : 

Yea,  they  chop  them  in  pieces,  as  meat  in  the  pot, 

And  as  flesh  within  the  caldron. 

Then  shall  they  cry  unto  the  Lord,  but  He    will  not 

answer  them: 

Yea,  He  will  hide  His  face  from  them  at  that  time, 
According  as  they  have  wrought  evil  in  their  doings. 


dress.  The  construction,  though 
logically  at  fault,  is  for  that  reason 
all  the  more  forcible. 

the  good]  i.  e.  that  which  is 
morally  good. 

the  evil]  i.  e.  that  which  is 
morally  evil.  They  thus  invert 
values  (comp.  Isa.  v.  20;  Amos 
v.  14  f.). 

who  rob  their  skin,  &c.  ]  Hy- 
perbolical language  describing 
the  heartlessness  with  which  the 
rich  proceed  against  the  poor, 
robbing  them  of  all  their  posses- 
sions through  usury  and  exactions 
in  excess  of  what  is  due  or  proper, 
generally  with  some  show  of  legal 
formality,  but  often  unfairly  and 
under  false  pretences  (comp.  for 
similar  complaints  Amos  ii.  6  f. ; 
iii.  9  f.  ;  iv.  I  ;  v.  u  f.  ;  Isa.  iii. 
14 f.;  Jer.  v.  27,  and  elsewhere). 


The  pronouns  have  no  antecedent  ; 
but  the  reference  is  perfectly 
obvious. 

3.  who  also  eat  the  flesh  of 
my  people]  Like  sheep  the  poor 
are  not  only  fleeced,  but  eaten  up 
(comp.  Zech.  xi.  16). 

and  break  their  bones']  They 
are  eaten  up,  flesh  and  bones. 

yea,  they  chop  them  in  pieces] 
"Them,"  i.  e.  the  poor. 

as  meat  in  the  pot]  So  read 
with  the  Greek  Version  (-IKP3  for 


4.  Then]  i.  e.  in  that  evil  day 
of  reckoning. 

but  He  will  not  answer  them] 
Exactly  as  they  refused  to  heed 
the  cry  of  the  poor. 

yea,  He  will  hide  His  face] 
The  Lord  is  said  to  lift  up  His 
countenance  (Num.  vi.  26),  when 


v.  5-] 


MICAH,  III. 


37 


5 — 8.     The  doings  of  the  mercenary  prophets  and  their  fate. 
Micah  contrasts  their  flattering  speeches  with  his  own 

courageous  castigation  of  Israel's  sin. 
Thus  saith  the  Lord  concerning  the  prophets  that  make  5 

my  people  to  err  ; 

That  cry,  Peace,  when  their  teeth  have  any  thing  to  bite ; 
And  whoso  putteth  not  into  their  mouths, 
They  even  prepare  war  against  him : 


He  is  favorably  inclined ;  con- 
versely, when  He  withdraws  His 
favor,  He  is  said  to  hide  His  face 
(Deut.  xxxi.  17  f. ;  Isa.  viii.  17, 
and  elsewhere  ;  comp.  also  Isa. 
lix.  2;  Job  xiii.  24;  xix.  25  ff. ). 
Similarly  the  rabbis  say  that  cer- 
tain sins  cause  the  Divine  Presence 
(Shekinah)  to  withdraw  from 
Israel  (Yebamot  64 a). 

5 — 8.  THE  DOINGS  OF  THE 
MERCENARY  PROPHETS  AND 
THEIR  FATE.  MlCAH  CONTRASTS 
THEIR  FLATTERING  SPEECHES 
WITH  HIS  OWN  COURAGEOUS 
CASTIGATION  OF  ISRAEL'S  SIN. 

After  the  rulers,  the  prophets 
come  next  in  order  as  those  who 
misguide  the  people.  The  first 
prophet  whom  we  find  in  conflict 
with  the  false  prophets  is  the 
namesake  of  our  prophet,  Micaiah 
ben  Imlah  (I  Kings  xxii).  Jere- 
miah is  particularly  bitter  against 
them  (Jer.  ch.  xxiii,  and  else- 
where); we  find  them  inveighed 


against  also  in  Ezekiel  (ch.  xiii; 
comp.  also  Lam.  ii.  14). 

5.  thai  make  my  people  to  err  ] 
Comp.  Isa.  Hi.  12 ;  ix.  15. 

that  cry,  Peace,  &c.]  For  a  con- 
sideration, say  a  stipend  from  an 
influential  personage,  they  delude 
the  nation  with  their  optimistic 
prophecies  (comp.  for  an  exam- 
ple Hananiah's  prophecy,  Jer. 
xxviii.  2  ff.),  "saying,  Peace, 
peace,  while  there  is  no  peace" 
(Jer.  vi.  14;  Ezek.  xiii.  10). 

they  even  prepare  war  against 
him]  Not  in  the  sense  of  a  private 
feud,  but,  when  their  stipend  is 
withdrawn,  they  announce,  to  the 
annoyance  of  their  former  political 
friends  in  high  office,  that  war  is 
imminent.  In  Hebrew  the  phrase 
reads  :  they  sanctify  war  ( comp. 
Jer.  vi.  4,  and  elsewhere).  The 
Greeks  commenced  their  wars 
with  sacrifices  of  the  most  solemn 
kind  (the  sacrifice  of  Iphigenia!). 
It  was  the  custom  in  the  early 


MICAH,  III. 


[vv.  6,  7. 


Therefore  it  shall  be  night  unto  you,  that  ye  shall  have 

no  vision  j 

And  it  shall  be  dark  unto  you,  that  ye  shall  not  divine ; 
And  the  sun  shall  go  down  upon  the  prophets, 
And  the  day  shall  be  black  over  them. 
And  the  seers  shall  be  put  to  shame,  and  the  diviners 

confounded ; 

Yea,  they  shall  all  cover  their  upper  lips : 
For  there  shall  be  no  answer  of  God. 


period  of  Israelitish  history  to 
open  a  campaign  with  a  burnt- 
offering  (Judges  vi.  20 ;  I  Sam. 
vii.  9;  xiii.  10).  The  sacrifice 
constituted  the  consecration  of 
the  warriors  (comp.  Isa.  xiii.  3, 
and  Luzzatto's  commentary,  ad 
locum)  who,  while  the  cam- 
paign lasted,  were  subject  to  cer- 
tain restrictions  otherwise  im- 
posed upon  pilgrims  bound  for 
the  sanctuary  (see  W.  Robertson 
Smith,  Religion  of  the  Semites, 
1894,  p.  401  ff. ;  454  ff. ).  Of  course, 
the  phrase  persisted  long  after  the 
primitive  ideas  concerning  the 
sacred  nature  of  war  had  passed 
away.  The  ancient  versions  par- 
aphrase in  the  manner  of  the 
English  Bible. 

6.  night}  i.  e.  mental  darkness 
as  a  result  of  the  suddenness  of 
the  catastrophe  (comp.  Isa.  xxix. 
10  f.). 

that  ye  shall  not  divine}     He- 


brew :  kasam.  From  the  Arabic 
we  know  that  the  word  designates 
"divining  by  lot."  For  a  descrip- 
tion of  the  Arab  method  of  divi- 
nation by  means  of  arrows,  see 
Driver's  Commentary  on  Deuter- 
onomy, p.  223  f. ;  comp.  also  Ezek. 
xxi.  26  f.  for  a  Scriptural  illustra- 
tion. The  Torah  ( Deut.  xviii.  9  ff. ) 
prohibits  all  manner  of  divination, 
and  institutes  the  office  of  the 
prophet,  the  legitimate  successor 
to  Moses.  Just  as  the  latter  is  the 
type  of  the  right  kind  of  a  prophet, 
Balaam  represents  the  heathen 
diviner  (Joshua  xiii.  22 ;  Num. 
xxii.  7).  The  term  "diviner"  is 
applied  in  the  Bible  to  heathen 
soothsayers  (comp.  I  Sam.  vi.  2), 
or  disparagingly  to  the  false 
prophets  of  Israel  (comp.  Isa.  Hi. 
2 ;  Jer.  xxvii.  9 ;  Ezek.  xiii.  9, 
and  elsewhere). 

7.    their  upper  lips']     The  He- 
brew word  properly  denotes  the 


w.  8,  9.] 


MICAH,  III. 


39 


But  I  truly  am  full  of  power  by  the  spirit  of  the  Lord, 

And  of  justice,  and  of  might, 

To  declare  unto  Jacob  his  transgression, 

And  to  Israel  his  sin. 

9 — 12.    A  summary  of  the  sins  of  the  three  leading  classes, 

rulers,  priests,  and  prophets.       The  inevitable 

catastrophe. 

Hear  this,  I  pray  you,  ye  heads  of  the  house  of  Jacob, 

And  rulers,  of  the  house  of  Israel, 

That  abhor  justice,  and  pervert  all  equity; 


hair  on  the  upper  lip.  Covering 
the  beard  was  a  sign  of  mourning 
(Ezek.  xxiv.  17)  or  humiliation 
(Lev.  xiii.  45).  Whatever  the 
origin  of  the  various  mourning 
rites,  they  came  to  mean  the 
reversal  of  the  ordinary  habits  of 
life,  in  food  and  dress  and  the 
like.  The  beard,  which  was  con- 
sidered the  ornament  of  manhood 
(II  Sam.  x.  4;  the  rabbis  speak 
of  it  as  "beauty  of  the  counte- 
nance," Baba  mesi'a  840),  was 
either  shaved  (Jer.  xli.  5),  or 
else  covered  up.  The  rabbis  pre- 
scribe that  the  mourner  cover 
head  and  cheeks  after  the  fashion 
of  the  Arabs  (Mo'ed  katon  15  a; 
24  a};  this  rite,  however,  later 
fell  into  disuse  (Yoreh  De'ah, 
$386). 


answer  of  God]  The  term  is 
not  specifically  Israelitish. 

8.  But  /]  The  prophet  con- 
trasts himself  with  the  false 
prophets. 

by  the  spirit  of  the  Lord]  The 
implication  is  that  the  false 
prophets  are  not  in  communion 
with  the  spirit  of  the  Lord.  The 
spirit  that  is  in  them  is  the  spirit 
of  falsehood,  to  whose  agency 
Micaiah  ben  Imlah  ascribes  the 
delusions  of  the  false  prophets 
(I  Kings  xxii.  22  f. ). 

justice']  i.  e.  a  sense  of  what  is 
right. 

might]  The  true  prophet  does 
not  flatter.  He  speaks  the  truth. 
He  has  convictions  as  to  right 
and  wrong,  and  he  possesses 
the  manhood  to  speak  them  out. 


MICAH,  III. 


[vv.  10,  ii. 


That  build  up  Zion  with  blood, 
And  Jerusalem  with  iniquity. 
The  heads  thereof  judge  for  reward, 
And  the  priests  thereof  teach  for  hire, 
And  the  prophets  thereof  divine  for  money.- 
Yet  will  they  lean  upon  the  Lord,  and  say, 
'  Is  not  the  Lord  in  the  midst  of  us  ? 
No  evil  shall  come  upon  us.' 


9—12.  A  SUMMARY  OF  THE 
SINS  OF  THE  THREE  LEADING 
CLASSES,  RULERS,  PRIESTS,  AND 
PROPHETS.  THE  INEVITABLE 
CATASTROPHE. 

10.  that  build  up  Zion  with 
blood~\  Either  with  the  actual 
shedding  of  blood  through  judi- 
cial murder  ( I  Kings  xxi ;  comp. 
Ezek.  xxii.  27),  or  by  working 
the  poor  to  death  and  thus  en- 
riching themselves,  so  that  their 
palaces  are,  as  it  were,  built  with 
the  blood  of  the  poor.  Jeremiah 
upbraids  King  Jehoiakim  for  fail- 
ure to  pay  the  workmen  who  built 
his  palace  (Jer.  xxii.  13).  Comp. 
also  Amos  v.  n  ;  Hab.  ii.  12. 

iniquity]  \.  e.  unfairness,  the 
opposite  of  equity. 

n.  The  heads]  i.  e.  the  rulers, 
those  in  high  office. 

for  reward]  i.  e.  for  a  bribe 
(comp.  Isa.  i.  23,  and  elsewhere). 

and  the  priests  thereof  teach  for 


hire]  The  priests  who  are  con- 
sulted by  the  people  as  to  what  is 
right  or  wrong  (Lev.  x.  iof.,  and 
elsewhere)  are  accused  of  ve- 
nality. The  questions  which  the 
priests  were  called  upon  to  de- 
cide comprised  the  entire  sphere 
of  the  religious  and  moral  life ; 
it  was  within  their  power  either 
to  quicken  or  deaden  the 
people's  conscience.  Complaints 
against  the  priests  meet  us  else- 
where in  the  prophetic  literature 
(Hosea  iv.  4ff. ;  v.  i;  vi.  9; 
Jer.  ii.  8 ;  Zeph.  iii.  4 ;  Ezek. 
xxii.  26). 

divine]  The  disparaging  term 
is  purposely  chosen. 

yet  will  they  lean,  &c.]  The 
form  is  that  of  an  indignant  ques- 
tion indicating  the  absurdity  of 
their  position. 

Is  not  the  Lord,  &c.]  Comp. 
Amos  iii.  2 ;  v.  24 ;  ix.  10 ;  Jer. 
v.  12  ;  vii.  4;  viii.  8. 


V.    12.] 


MICAH,  III. 


Therefore  shall  Zion  for  your  sake  be  plowed  as  a  field, 
And  Jerusalem  shall  become  heaps, 

And  the  mountain  of  the  house  as  the  high  places  of  a 
forest. 


12.  for  your  sake}  \.  e.  on 
account  of  your  sins  (Targum). 

be  plowed  as  a  field]  Comp. 
i.  6. 

heaps]  i.  e.  heaps  of  stones, 
ruins. 

high  places  of  a  forest]  i.  e. 
mounds  amidst  uncultivated  sur- 
roundings, in  the  wild  woods. 

This  verse  is  quoted  Jer. 
xxvi.  1 8.  Jeremiah  is  accused  of 
high  treason,  because  he  predicted 
the  destruction  of  Jerusalem  in  an 
address  resembling  in  general 
purport  the  last  section  of  our 
chapter  and  preserved  Jer.  vii. 
i  ff.  He  is  rescued  from  death  at 
the  hands  of  the  offended  princes, 
prophets,  and  priests,  by  Ahikam 
the  son  of  Shaphan.  Some  of  the 
elders  adduce  on  this  occasion 
the  instance  of  Micah,  who  was 
permitted  to  prophesy  in  the  same 
manner  in  the  days  of  Hezekiah. 
It  is  stated  there  (verse  19)  that 
Hezekiah  took  Micah' s  prophecy 
to  heart  and  implored  the  Lord's 
forgiveness,  whereupon  the  Lord 
refrained  from  carrying  out  the 
evil  which  He  had  threatened  to 
bring  upon  the  people.  Possibly 


this  was  the  time  when  Hezekiah 
set  about  destroying  the  high 
places  (II  Kings  xviii.  4,  22). 
The  reform  was,  of  course,  in- 
effectual, Hezekiah  being  suc- 
ceeded by  idolatrous  kings. 
Similarly  the  more  comprehen- 
sive reform  of  Josiah  was  mads 
inoperative  by  his  successors. 

The  true  prophet,  who  is  filled 
with  a  deep  sense  of  the  right,  and 
is  manly  enough  to  give  utterance 
to  his  views,  will,  of  course,  be 
unpopular.  The  people  always 
prefer  the  easy-going  prophet, 
who  himself  loves  wine  and  song, 
to  the  stern  castigator  of  their 
vices,  who  is  not  satisfied  with 
half-hearted  allegiance,  but  de- 
mands the  absolute  surrender 
of  all  that  is  hollow  and  false, 
and  complete  devotion  to  truth 
and  justice.  The  true  prophets, 
nevertheless,  though  hated  and 
laughed  at  as  visionaries,  are  on 
the  whole  the  inviolable  men 
of  God  even  to  their  enemies. 
At  times  such  prophets  sway  a 
pious  monarch  like  Hezekiah, 
and  some  of  their  visions  become 
real.  And  no  matter  what  may  be 


42  MICAH,  IV.  [v.  i. 

CHAPTERS  IV — VII.  Consolatory  prophecies  concerning  the 
restoration,  the  second  exodus,  the  Messianic  kingdom  of 
peace,  and  the  glorious  future  of  purified  Zion  in  the  end 
of  days.  Interspersed  are  denunciations  of  the  present 
order  of  tilings  with  its  disruption  of  all  social  bonds  and 
its  perverse  notions  concerning  the  service  of  the  Lord. 

CHAP.   IV.    i — 4.      The  future  glory  of  Zion.     Paradise  Re- 
gained.    An  ancient  prophecy. 

'  But  in  the  end  of  days  it  shall  come  to  pass, 
'That  the  mountain  of  the   Lord's  house  shall  be  estab- 
lished as  the  top  of  the  mountains, 

their  standing  in  the  community  those  that  utter  them.     Such  is 

of  their  own  day,  their  words  are  the  power  of  a  word  spoken  from 

accepted  by  posterity  as  the  true  the  fulness  of  conviction,  in  the 

words  of  God,  while  the  oracles  service  of  justice  and  truth,  and  by 

of  their  antagonists  perish   with  the  grace  of  the  spirit  of  the  Lord. 

CHAPTERS  IV — VII.    CONSOLATORY  PROPHECIES  CONCERNING  THE 

RESTORATION,  THE  SECOND  EXODUS,  THE  MESSIANIC  KINGDOM 
OF  PEACE,  AND  THE  GLORIOUS  FUTURE  OF  PURIFIED  ZlON  IN 
THE  END  OF  DAYS.  INTERSPERSED  ARE  DENUNCIATIONS  OF 
THE  PRESENT  ORDER  OF  THINGS  WITH  ITS  DISRUPTION  OF  ALL 
SOCIAL  BONDS  AND  ITS  PERVERSE  NOTIONS  CONCERNING  THE 
SERVICE  OF  THE  LORD. 

On  Micah  as  the  author  of  these  chapters  as  well  as  on  the  sequence 
of  the  parts,  see  Introduction,  \  8,  where  the  arguments  to  the  con- 
trary are  refuted. 

CHAPTER  IV.  i.     in  the  end  of  days}    A  pro- 

!_4>    THE  FUTURE  GLORY  OF  phetic  phrase  denoting  a  future 

ZION.    PARADISE  REGAINED.   AN  period,     particularly    the    close 

ANCIENT  PROPHECY.  thereof,  so  far  as  the  speaker's 


V.   I.] 


MICAH,  IV. 


43 


'And  it  shall  be  exalted  above  the  hills : 
'And  peoples  shall  flow  unto  it. 


perspective  reaches.  Thus  it  is 
used  of  the  period  of  Israel's 
possession  of  Canaan  (Gen.  xlix. 
i),  or  of  the  period  of  Israel's 
future  conquest  of  Moab  and 
Edom  (Num.  xxiv.  14),  or  of 
the  period  of  calamity  ensuing 
upon  Israel's  apostasy  (Deut. 
xxxi.  29),  or  of  the  period  of 
Israel's  return  to  God  in  the  exile 
(ibid.,  iv.  30).  Usually,  however, 
the  phrase  denotes  either  the 
period  ushering  in  the  ideal,  or 
Messianic,  age  (the  time  of  the 
final  attack  by  the  heathen  upon 
Israel,  Ezek.  xxxviii.  16 ;  Dan.  x. 
14),  or  the  Messianic  age  itself. 
So  here  (see  Shabbat  63  a). 
Comp.  Hosea  iii.  5. 

the    mountain    of  the    Lord's 
house~\  The  Temple  hill  is  meant. 

established}  i.  e.  firm. 

as  the  top  of  the  mountains] 
\.  e.  the  highest  mountain.  In 
view  of  Ezek.  xl.  2  and  Zech. 
xiv.  10,  it  is  conceivable  that  the 
prophet  has  in  mind  physical  ele- 
vation (see  Rashi  and  Kimhi  on 
the  passages  quoted).  In  the 
highly  poetical  passage  Isa.  xiv. 
13  we  read  of  a  "mount  of  as- 
sembly ' '  of  the  gods,  an  Oriental 
4 


Olympus,  in  the  farthest  north, 
high  above  the  stars.  (See  article 
Sinai  in  the  Encyclopedia  Biblica 
for  Babylonian  parallels  and  for 
the  cosmological  conceptions  in- 
volved.)  Ezekiel  (xxviii.  13  f. ) 
identifies  the  "sacred  mountain 
of  God"  with  "  Eden,  the  garden 
of  God,"  where,  according  to  the 
prophet's  version  of  the  story  of 
the  fall,  lived  the  first  man,  wise 
and  magnificent,  until  he  pre- 
sumed to  play  the  equal  of  God, 
and  was  expelled.  The  sacred 
writers,  when  speaking  of  the 
future  Zion,  frequently  invest  it 
with  the  elements  characteristic  of 
the  "paradise".  Thus  Ezekiel 
(xlvii.  1-12)  predicts  for  the 
future  Zion  a  marvellous  stream, 
which,  issuing  thence,  shall  go 
forth  to  the  eastern  region  and 
transform  the  salt  water  of 
the  Dead  Sea  into  fresh  water, 
while  on  each  bank  there  shall 
grow  trees  whose  leaves  shall  not 
wither,  nor  their  fruit  fail,  the 
latter  serving  for  food,  and  the 
former  for  healing.  A  perennial 
stream  of  "living  waters"  is  pro- 
mised in  Zech.  xiv.  8  (comp.  Joel 
iv.  18).  It  is  "the  river,  the 


44 


MICAH,  IV. 


[v.   2. 


'And  many  nations  shall  go  and  say, 

'Come  ye,  and  let  us  go   up  to  the   mountain   of  the 

Lord, 

'And  to  the  house  of  the  God  of  Jacob; 
'And  He  will  teach  us  of  His  ways, 
'And  we  will  walk  in  His  paths : 
'For  out  of  Zion  shall  go  forth  instruction, 
'And  the  word  of  the  Lord  from  Jerusalem. 


streams  whereof  make  glad  the 
city  of  God,  the  holiest  dwelling 
of  the  Most  High"  (Ps.  xlvi.  5), 
the  "river  of  pleasure"  ( 'adanim), 
the  river  of  paradise  (Eden],  the 
"fountain  of  life"  (Ps.  xxxvi.gf.). 
And  so  Mount  Zion  is  called  "the 
farthest  ends  of  the  north"  (Ps. 
xlviii.  3),  with  unmistakable  allu- 
sion to  the  "mountain  of  assem- 
bly" (see  Luzzatto  on  Isa.  xiv.  13, 
and  Gunkel's  Commentary  on 
Genesis,  1902,  p.  30  ff. ).  So  also 
in  the  present  passage,  wherein 
the  advent  of  the  golden  age  on 
Mount  Zion  is  prophesied,  its 
elevation  above  all  the  mountains 
of  the  earth  is  fittingly  empha- 
sized in  the  very  opening,  thus 
clearly  designating  Zion  as  Pa- 
radise Regained  in  the  end  of 
days.  The  tone  of  the  passage, 
however,  would  suggest  that, 
while  the  prophet  is  borrowing 
ancient  phraseology,  he  is  at 
the  same  time  spiritualizing  it, 


and  that  the  elevation  of  Mount 
Zion  is  taken  by  him  in  a  figura- 
tive sense  (Ibn  Ezra;  Kimhi  on 
our  passage):  Zion  is  to  be  the 
spiritual  centre  of  the  world 
(comp.  Isa.  xi.  10  ;  the  Messiah 
the  "banner"  of  the  nations,  a 
signal  seen  far  and  wide  and 
attracting  the  nations). 

flow}  i.  e.  move  in  unbroken 
succession  (comp.  Zech.  viii. 
20  ff.). 

2.   and  say}   to  one  another. 

of  His  ways'}  perhaps,  out  (of 
the  treasure)  of  His  ways,  or 
simply,  His  ways.  The  ways  of 
the  Lord  are  His  moral  and  reli- 
gious precepts.  The  Lord  teaches 
through  His  representatives 
(prophets,  priests,  the  Messiah, 
His  people). 

for,  &c.]  An  explanatory  re- 
mark by  the  prophet. 

instruction}  Hebrew :  torah. 
Instruction  in  the  various  duties 
of  life  is  meant. 


w.  3,  4.] 


MICAH,  IV. 


45 


'And  He  shall  judge  between  many  peoples,  3 

'And  shall  decide  concerning  mighty  nations  afar  off; 

'And  they  shall  beat  their  swords  into  plowshares, 

'And  their  spears  into  priming-hooks : 

'  Nation  shall  not  lift  up  sword  against  nation, 

'  Neither  shall  they  learn  war  any  more. 

'  But  they  shall  sit  every  man  under  his  vine  and  under  4 

his  fig-tree; 

'And  none  shall  make  them  afraid: 
'For  the  mouth  of  the  Lord  of  hosts  hath  spoken  it.' 


3.  And  He  shall  judge  between 
many  people s\  When  the  Lord 
is  universally  acknowledged,  He 
will  judge  between  nations  and 
arbitrate  for  peoples.  In  Israel, 
whenever  two  persons  have  a 
dispute,  they  come  to  the  sanc- 
tuary of  the  Lord  and  abide  by  the 
decision  of  His  representatives 
(Exod.  xxii.  8;  Deut.  xvii.  8  ff. ). 
While  at  present  only  private 
feuds  are  thus  terminated,  in  the 
future  disputes  between  nations 
will  be  adjusted  in  the  same 
manner.  The  abolition  of  war  is 
a  consequence  of  the  universal 
recognition  of  the  sovereignty  of 
the  God  of  Israel.  The  pilgrimage 
of  humanity  to  Mount  Zion  will 
lead  to  a  permanent  and  real  truce 
of  God.  In  the  language  of  the 
liturgy,  mankind  will  then  form  a 
single  band  (comp.  the  Author- 


ised Daily  Prayer  Book  with  a 
new  translation,  by  the  Rev.  S. 
Singer,  p.  239). 

plowshares]  Or,  perhaps, spades. 
People  will  settle  down  to  peace- 
ful occupations  ;  weapons  and 
military  science  will  be  a  matter 
of  the  past.  Comp.  Isa  xi.  6-10  ; 
Hosea  ii.  20;  Zech.  ix.  10;  and, 
on  the  other  hand,  Joel  iv  (Hi).  10. 
The  Talmud  (Shabbat  63 a)  adds 
that  in  the  Messianic  age  arms 
will  not  be  considered  even  an 
ornament;  they  will  be  out  of 
place  as  a  candle  in  daylight. 

4.    they]  i.  e.  all  mankind. 

under  his  vine  and  under  his 
fig-tree"]  A  picture  of  utmost 
security. 

the  Lord  of  hosts']  Hebrew 
Adonai  Sebaot.  Whatever  the 
meaning  of  the  combination  may 
have  been  in  primitive  times, 


46 


MICAH,  IV. 


[w.  5,  6- 


5.    A  lesson  for  Israel  in  the  present  order  of  things. 
For  all  the  peoples  walk  each  one  in  the  name  of  its  god, 
And  we  will  walk  in  the  name  of  the  Lord  our  God  for 

ever  and  ever. 


6,  7.     The  gathering  of  the  dispersed  and  the  constitution  of 
the  "remnant." 

6      In  that  day,  saith  the  Lord,  will  I  assemble  her  that  is 
lame, 


it  is  conceded  that  the  prophets 
connected  with  it  the  conception 
of  supermundane  power  or  majes- 
ty (see  article  Names  in  the  Ency- 
clopczdia  Biblica,  §123;  also  Luz- 
zatto  on  Isa.  i.  9).  The  Greek 
Version  renders  it  usually  by 
"Lord  of  the  powers,  or  forces," 
or  "the  Almighty  God,"  or 
"Lord  Almighty." 

hath  spoken  it~\  And  therefore 
will  surely  bring  it  to  pass  (Ibn 
Ezra,  Kimhi). 

5-  A  LESSON  FOR  ISRAEL  IN 
THE  PRESENT  ORDER  OF  THINGS. 

•walk}  in  the  present  tense 
(Abrabanel),  or,  perhaps,  will 
walk,  not  in  a  future  sense,  but 
implying  a  natural  habit. 

in  the  name~\    i.  e.  invoking  it. 

of  its  god]  Or,  gods,  "which 
yet  are  no  gods  "  (Jer.  ii.  n). 

and  we  will  walk  in  the  name 
of  the  Lord}  The  Living  God, 


who  in  the  end  of  days  will  be 
recognized  by  all  mankind.  The 
prophet,  so  to  speak,  comes  down 
to  earth ;  with  a  view  to  the  de- 
plorable conditions  of  the  present, 
when  the  nations  are  divided, 
holding  fast  to  their  religious  tra- 
ditions, it  behooves  Israel  the 
more  steadfastly  to  cling  to  its 
own  religion,  which  is  the  true 
religion  destined  to  survive  all 
others  (comp.  Isa.  ii.  5). 

6,  7.  THE  GATHERING  OF  THE 
DISPERSED  AND  THE  CONSTITU- 
TION OF  THE  "REMNANT." 

6.  In  that  day~\  An  indefinite 
phrase.  The  point  in  time  con- 
templated by  the  prophet  here  is 
anterior  to  the  period  described 
in  the  opening  of  the  chapter. 
The  gathering  of  the  dispersed 
must  naturally  precede  the  con- 
stitution of  the  ideal  community 
on  Mount  Zion. 


v.  7-] 


MICAH,  IV. 


47 


And  I  will  gather  her  that  is  driven  away, 
And  her  that  I  have  afflicted ; 
And  I  will  make  her  that  was  lame  a  remnant, 
And  her  that  was  cast  far  off  a  mighty  nation : 
And  the  Lord  shall  reign  over  them  from  thenceforth 
even  for  ever. 


her  that  is  lame}  Israel  in 
exile  is  likened  to  maimed  and 
lost  sheep  (comp.  Zeph.  iii.  19). 

and  her  that  I  have  afflicted] 
The  figurative  language  in  the 
first  half  of  the  verse  is  thus  ex- 
plained. 

7.  a  remnant]  The  "remnant" 
is  the  community  at  the  time  of 
the  Messianic  restoration.  The 
idea  that  the  sinful  nation  must 
undergo  a  sifting  process  is  an 
ancient  one.  Just  as  certain  as  it 
is  to  the  prophets  that  the  bulk 
of  the  nation  is  doomed  to  per- 
dition, the  national  disaster  is  by 
no  means  complete  national  ex- 
tinction to  them.  No  matter  how 
small  the  number  of  those  "whose 
knees  have  not  bowed  unto  Baal" 
( I  Kings  xix.  18 ;  comp.  Judges  vii. 
5  ff. ),  they  constitute  the  remnant 
that  is  to  be  saved.  As  Elijah,  so 
does  Amos  distinguish  between 
the  sinful  kingdom  that  is  des- 
tined to  annihilation,  and  the 
righteous  nucleus  of  the  future 
house  of  Jacob  that  is  inde- 


structible (Amos  ix.  8;  comp. 
v.  15).  Isaiah  symbolically  named 
one  of  his  sons  Shear-jashub,  i.  e. 
A — remnant — shall — return  ( Isa. 
vii.  3).  The  people  must  go 
through  a  smelting  process  (Mai. 
iii.  2  f. ):  the  privileged  few  who 
are  entered  in  the  Book  of  the 
Living  (the  Book  of  Life)  con- 
stitute the  holy  "remnant,"  those 
who  are  escaped  or  left  (Isa.  iv. 
2  f. ;  x.  20  ff.  ;  xxxvii.  31  ;  comp. 
Zeph.  iii.  13,  and  elsewhere  in  the 
prophetic  literature).  The  com- 
munity that  survived  the  fall  of 
Jerusalem,  whether  under  Jere- 
miah (Jer.  xl.  15)  or  under  Ezra 
and  Nehemiah  (Ezra  ix.  8),  knew 
itself  as  the  "remnant"  and  as 
the  bearer  of  the  prophetic  prom- 
ises. And  so  in  the  liturgy  we 
designate  ourselves  as  the  rem- 
nant and  pray:  "O  Guardian  ot 
Israel,  guard  the  remnant  of  Is- 
rael, and  suffer  not  Israel  to  perish, 
who  say,  Hear.O  Israel.  O  Guard- 
ian of  the  one  nation,  guard  the 
remnant  of  the  one  people,  and 


48 


MICAH,  IV. 


[vv.  8,  9 


—  IO.      The  revival  of  the  Davidic  kingdom.      T/ie  exile  but 
a  transition  to  the  glorious  future. 

And  thou,  Migdal-eder,  the  hill  of  the  daughter  of  Zion, 

Unto  thee  shall  it  come ; 

Yea,  the  former  dominion  shall  come, 

The  kingdom  of  the  daughter  of  Jerusalem. 

Now  why  dost  thou  cry  out  aloud  ? 


let  not  the  one  nation  perish,  who 
confess  Thy  Unity.  O  Guardian 
of  the  holy  nation,  guard  the 
remnant  of  the  holy  people,  and 
suffer  not  the  holy  nation  to 
perish,  who  call  Thee  thrice 
Holy  "  (Singer's  Prayer  Book,  p. 

64  f.). 

and  her  that  was  cast  far  off] 
Or,  with  a  slight  change  in  one 
letter  (nsVnjni  for  ni&ttm},  and 
her  that  was  sick. 

8 — 10.  THE  REVIVAL  OF  THE 
DAVIDIC  KINGDOM.  THE  EXILE 
BUT  A  TRANSITION  TO  THE 
GLORIOUS  FUTURE. 

8.  ]\rigdal-eder\  The  place  is 
mentioned  Gen.  xxxv.  21,  and  in 
the  Mishnah  (Shekalim  vii.  4),  as 
a  place  near  Jerusalem.  The 
English  Version :  O  tower  of  the 
flock.  The  prophet,  addressing 
Jerusalem  in  ruins,  calls  it,  as  it 
were,  a  solitary  flock-tower  in  the 
desert,  the  settlement  of  a  shep- 
herd and  his  household  (comp. 
II  Kings  xvii.  9 ;  II  Chron.  xxvi. 


10 ).  It  is  possible,  however,  that 
with  the  same  end  in  view,  the 
prophet  chooses  the  name  of  the 
older  and  more  modest  settle- 
ment in  or  near  Jerusalem,  which 
the  passage  in  Genesis  places 
in  patriarchal  times. 

the  hill  of  the  daughter  of  Zion} 
"Hill,"  or  "stronghold,"  is  the 
commonly  accepted  rendering  of 
the  Hebrew  'of el  (comp.  Isa. 
xxxii.  14).  The  Ophel  as  a  part 
of  Jerusalem  (S.  E.  slope  of  the 
Temple  hill  ?)  is  mentioned  Neh. 
iii.  26  f.;  xi.  21,  and  II  Chron. 
xxvii.  3;  xxxiii.  14.  "The  hill  of 
the  daughter  of  Zion"  is  probably 
a  poetic  appellation  for  the  hill  of 
Zion  (comp.  Isa.  x.  32:  "the 
mount  of  the  daughter  of  Zion, 
the  hill  of  Jerusalem"),  in  appo- 
sition with  Migdal-eder. 

z'/]  Supply  the  subject  (the 
dominion  or  kingdom}  from  the 
second  half  of  the  verse. 

the  former]    i.  e.  Davidic. 

9.     The  prophet  is  addressing 


V.    10.] 


MICAH,  IV. 


49 


Is  there  no  King  in  thee, 

Is  thy  Counsellor  perished, 

That  pangs  have  taken  hold  of  thee  as  of  a  woman  in 

travail  ? 
Be  in   pain,  and  labour    to  bring  forth,  O  daughter  of  10 

Zion,  like  a  woman  in  travail : 
For  now  shalt  thou  go  forth  out  of  the  city,  and  shalt 

dwell  in  the  field, 
And  shalt  come  even  unto  Babylon ;   there  shalt  thou 

be  rescued, 
There  shall  the  Lord    redeem    thee    from    the  hand  of 

thine  enemies. 


the  city  in  the  throes  of  the  siege 
on  the  eve  of  the  exile  ;  he  bids 
her  be  of  good  courage,  since  the 
exile  will  be  but  the  transition  to 
a  glorious  future. 

Nozu\  In  a  logical  sense,  = 
hence. 

cry  out  aloud~\  So  Ibn  Ezra 
and  Kimhi. 

Is  there  no  King,  &c.]  The 
King  and  Counsellor  is  the  Lord 
( Ibn  Ezra,  Kimhi,  Marti ;  comp. 
Jer.  viii.  19). 

that  pangs  have  taken  hold,  &c.] 
Comp.  Jer.  vi.  24 ;  xxii.  23. 

10.  Be  in  pain~\  The  agony 
which  Israel  about  to  be  exiled  is 
experiencing  shall  be,  in  the  lan- 
guage of  the  rabbis  (Mekilta  on 
Exod.  xvi.  25  and  30 ;  Shabbat 
n8a,  and  elsewhere),  the  "throes 


of  the  Messiah,"  ushering  in  new 
life,  the  glorious  Messianic  future. 

and  labour  to  bring  forth']  So 
Ibn  Ezra.  It  is  the  crisis  of  a 
new  life  born  in  pain. 

now]  In  contrast  with  then, 
implied  in  there. 

in  the  field}  The  city  is  con- 
trasted with  the  field  where  one 
is  beset  by  all  the  dangers  from 
which  one  is  safe  in  the  former. 

and  shalt  come  even  unto  Baby- 
lon] See  Introduction,  \  8. 

there~\  The  Greek  and  Syriac 
Versions :  thence. 

II  —  I3-  THE  FINAL  ASSAULT 
OF  THE  HEATHEN  WORLD. 

Even  when  rescued  from  the 
exile  and  brought  back  to  Jerusa- 
lem, they  shall  be  subjected  to  one 
more  final  assault.  Many  nations 


MICAH,  IV. 


[vv.  11-13. 


IT 


1 1 — 1 3.     The  final  assault  of  the  he  at  hen  world. 

And  now  many  nations  are  assembled  against  thee, 
That  say,  Let  her  be  defiled,  and  let  our  eye  gaze  upon  Zion. 
But  they  know  not  the  thoughts  of  the  Lord, 
Neither  understand  they  His  counsel : 
For    He    hath   gathered    them    as    the    sheaves    to    the 

threshing-floor. 

Arise  and  thresh,  O  daughter  of  Zion : 
For  I  will  make  thy  horn  iron, 
And  I  will  make  thy  hoofs  brass : 


will  gather  about  Jerusalem,  but 
they  shall  be  routed.  The  appear- 
ance of  a  great  heathen  force 
about  Jerusalem  on  the  eve  of  the 
Messianic  age  and  its  definitive 
overthrow  form  part  of  the  tra- 
ditional programme  in  the  pro- 
phetic eschatology  (comp.  Isa. 

X.  12;  xiv.  24-27;  Xvii.  12-14;  Joel 

iv  [iii]  ;  Zech.  ix.  14-16  ;  xii.  1-9, 
and  elsewhere).  Ezekiel  (chap- 
ters xxxviii  and  xxxix)  designates 
the  assailants  as  the  hosts  of  Gog 
(Magog).  From  Scripture  the 
Gog-Magog  episode  in  the  advent 
of  the  Messianic  kingdom  has 
passed  on  to  the  rabbis  who  make 
frequent  reference  thereto  (Bera- 
koti3fl;  Sanhedrin  95  b,  and  else- 
where). In  the  liturgy,  the  pass- 
ing away  from  the  earth  of  the 
arrogant  kingdom  with  all  its 
wickedness  ushers  in  the  ever- 


lasting Kingdom  of  God  (Singer's 
Prayer  Book,  p.  239). 

11.  now}   \.  e.  at  an  indefinite 
period  in  the  future. 

Let  her  be  defiled'}  From  the 
prophet's  point  of  view.  Jerusa- 
lem is  holy,  when  no  strangers 
pass  through  her  (comp.  Joel  iv 
[Hi].  17). 

gaze  upon}  i.  e.  with  malicious 
joy. 

12.  Comp.  Isa.  xiv.  24,  26  f. 
counsel]    i.  e.  plan. 

for,  &c.]  Exposition  of  the 
divine  plan. 

13.  and  thresh}    As  a  heifer 
(comp.  Hosea  x.  n). 

for  I  will  make  thy  horn  iron} 
Wherewith  to  gore  the  assailant 
(comp.  Deut.  xxxiii.  17).  The 
figure  of  the  threshing  animal 
is  let  go  to  be  taken  up  forth- 
with. 


v.  1 4-] 


MICAH,  IV. 


And  thou  shalt  beat  in  pieces  many  peoples : 
And  thou  shalt  devote  their  gain  unto  the  Lord, 
And  their  substance  unto  the  Lord  of  the  whole  earth. 

14.     Extreme  humiliation  of  Zion  and  of  her  rider  during 
a  siege  of  the  city. 

Now  shalt  thou  cut  thyself,  O  daughter  of  troops : 
'They  have  laid  siege  against  us, 

They  smite    the  judge  of  Israel    with  a  rod  upon  the 
cheek.' 


beat  in  pieces  many  peoples']  \.  e. 
make  dust  of  them. 

thou}  So  the  ancient  versions 
and  apparently  also  the  Hebrew 
text  (archaic  form). 

devote'}  Or,  ban.  Consecration 
by  means  of  the  "ban"  implies 
absolute  withdrawal  from  human 
use.  Both  persons  and  things 
may  be  "banned,"  turned  over 
to  the  sanctuary,  which,  in  certain 
cases,  may  order  their  destruction. 
The  "ban"  is  prescribed  in  the 
Torah  (Deut.  vii.  2,  25  f.  ;  xx. 
16-18)  for  the  cities  and  religious 
symbols  of  the  Canaanites ;  the 
spoil  is  to  be  "devoted"  either 
wholly  or  in  part  according  to  the 
gravity  of  the  situation.  The  war 
upon  the  nations  gathered  about 
Jerusalem  for  a  final  assault  is 
thus  designated  as  a  holy  war, 
one  of  complete  extermination. 


the  Lord  of  the  whole  earth] 
Comp.  Zech.  vi.  5;  Ps.  xcvii.  5. 

14.  EXTREME  HUMILIATION 
OF  ZlON  AND  OF  HER  RULER 
DURING  A  SIEGE  OF  THE  CITY. 

A  fresh  start  parallel  to  verse  9 
(or  verse  1 1 ),  while  v.  i  is  parallel 
to  iv.  8.  The  prophet  pictures  the 
extreme  humiliation  which  will 
be  meted  out  to  Zion  before  her 
turn  for  the  better  may  come. 

shalt  thou  cut  thyself]  This  is 
the  most  plausible  rendering 
(Graetz);  the  paronomasia  is  one 
of  sound,  which  it  is  impossible 
to  bring  out  in  the  translation. 
Cutting  oneself,  i.  e.  making  in- 
cisions in  the  body,  was  a  mourn- 
ing rite  (Jer.  xvi.  6),  which, 
though  prohibited  in  the  Torah 
(Deut.  xiv.  i),  was  nevertheless 
practised  (Jer.  xli.  5).  The  city 
will  be  in  mourning. 


MIC  AH,  V. 


[v.i. 


CHAP.  V.    i — 5.    The  advent  of  the  Messiah  and  the  inaugu- 
ration of  permanent  peace  for  Israel. 

But  thou,  Beth-lehem  Ephrath, 

Which  art  little  to  be  among  the  thousands  of  Judah, 

Out  of  thee  shall  one  come  forth  unto  Me  that  is  to  be 

ruler  in  Israel; 
Whose  goings  forth  are  from  of  old,  from  ancient  days. 


O  daughter  of  troops]  The 
meaning  is  obscure.  Perhaps  the 
text  is  in  disorder. 

They  have  laid  siege,  &c.]  The 
people's  lamentation. 

they  smite  ....  upon  the  cheeK] 
Comp.  I  Kings  xxii.  24 ;  Isa.  i.  6 ; 
Job  xvi.  10.  To  such  humiliation 
will  the  city  and  its  ruler  be  sub- 
jected. But  there  is  a  glorious 
restoration  to  come,  and  a  more 
glorious  ruler,  who  shall  exercise 
dominion  over  the  nations,  who 
now  so  shamefully  humiliate 
Israel. 

the  judge}  i.  e.  the  ruler.  Comp. 
I  Sam.  viii,  20. 

CHAPTER  V. 

I — 5.  THE  ADVENT  OF  THE 
MESSIAH  AND  THE  INAUGURA- 
TION OF  PERMANENT  PEACE  FOR 

ISRAEL 

i.  Beth-lehem  Ephrath}  There 
were  two  cities  named  Beth-lehem, 
and  each  had  the  additional  name 


of  Ephrath  ;  the  one  was  situated 
in  Benjamin,  between  Beth-el  and 
Ramah,  and  was  the  site  of  the 
tomb  of  Rachel  (Gen.  xxxv.  16 ff. ; 
I  Sam.  x.  2;  Jer.  xxxi.  15);  the 
other  in  Judah  ( Ruth  iv.  1 1 ;  I  Sam. 
xvii.  12).  Here,  of  course,  the 
latter  is  meant.  A  third  Beth- 
lehem, in  Galilee,  is  mentioned, 
Joshua  xix.  15  (see  Neubauer,  La 
geographie  du  Talmud,  p.  188  ff. ). 

thousands']  i.  e.  families,  or 
clans.  Though  the  least  in  Judah, 
it  is  really  the  greatest. 

ruler  in  Israel}  i.  e.  the  Messiah 
(Targum),  a  second  and  greater 
David  (Hosea  iii.  5;  Ezek.  xxxiv. 
23  f. ;  xxxvii.  24).  The  stress  is 
upon  the  Davidic  descent  of  the 
Messiah  ;  for  David  was  a  Beth- 
lehemite. 

from  ancient  days]  A  relative 
term  denoting  the  more  or  less 
distant  past.  In  our  passage  the 
time  of  the  rise  of  the  Davidic 
dynasty  is  meant.  The  English 


vv.  2-4.] 


MICAH,  \7. 


53 


(Therefore  will  He  give  them  up,  2 

Until  the  time  that  she  who  travaileth  hath  brought  forth  : 
Then    the    residue    of  his    brethren    shall    return    with 

the  children  of  Israel.) 
And    he    shall    stand,  and    shall    feed    his  flock   in  the  3 

strength  of  the  Lord, 

In  the  majesty  of  the  name  of  the  Lord  his  God : 
And    they    shall  dwell    in   safety,  for  then  shall  he  be 

great  unto  the  ends  of  the  earth. 
And  this  shall  be  peace  :  4 


Version:  from  everlasting,  im- 
plying the  doctrine  of  the  pre- 
existence  of  the  Messiah.  So  the 
Targum :  whose  name  was  uttered 
in  the  beginning.  See  Additional 
Note  IV. 

2.  Therefore]  The  verse  is 
parenthetical,  the  point  of  time 
being  that  of  iv.  10,  or  iv.  14. 

give  them  up}  i.  e.  deliver  them 
to  their  enemies. 

until  the  time,  &c.]  Until  that 
great  child  (the  ruler  of  Davidic 
stock)  has  been  born.  Comp. 
Isa.  vii.  14. 

the  residue  of  his  brethren]  i.  e. 
the  tribe  of  Judah  (Rashi,  Kimhi). 

shall  return]  To  the  Holy  Land. 

with]   So  Kimhi. 

the  children  of  Israel]  i.  e.  the 
ten  tribes  (Rashi,  Kimhi).  There 
will  be  a  return  of  All-Israel 
(comp.  Hosea  ii.  2;  Isa.  xi.  13). 


3.  feed  his  flock]     The  object 
is  added  for  the  sake  of  the  Eng- 
lish (comp.  the  Greek  Version). 

in  the  strength,  &c.]  He  shall 
be  endowed  by  the  Lord  with  the 
power  and  authority  belonging  to 
the  ideal  ruler  and  making  for  a 
reign  of  righteousness  and  peace 
(comp.  Isa.  xi.  2  ff. ). 

and  they  shall  dwell  in  safety] 
The  last  two  words  are  easily 
supplied  from  the  context  (Ibn 
Ezra,  Kimhi).  Less  correctly: 
and  they  shall  return  (Syriac 
Version,  Targum,  Vulgate,  Rashi, 
Joseph  Kara).  Subject:  the 
people,  Israel  and  Judah. 

for  then]  i.  e.  at  the  time  when 
the  Messianic  kingdom  will  be 
established. 

4.  And   this    shall  be  peace] 
This  peace  ensuing  upon  the  ad- 
vent of  the  Messiah  shall  be  peace 


54 


MICAH,  V. 


[v.  5- 


When  the  Assyrian  shall  come  into  our  land, 

And  when  he  shall  tread  in  our  palaces, 

Then  shall  we  raise  against  him  seven  shepherds, 

And  eight  princes  among  men. 

And  they  shall  waste  the  land  of  Assyria  with  the  sword, 


in  all  truth,  real  and  abiding,  con- 
sisting, as  the  following  illus- 
tration shows,  in  the  repulsion  of 
hostile  attacks  (so  Rashi ;  comp. 
the  Greek  Version  and  Targum). 
The  Hebrew,  though  with  less 
probability,  admits  of  being  ren- 
dered :  and  this  man  shall  be  our 
peace  (Vulgate,  Kimhi),  i.  e.  he 
shall  be  the  guarantee  of  our  peace 
(by  repelling  the  attacks  of  our 
enemies ) .  ( According  to  the  Tal- 
mud [Shabbat  ro£],  God's  name 
is  Peace. )  The  passage  Zech.  ix. 
10  is  not  quite  analogous,  inas- 
much as  there,  in  the  spirit  of 
Micah  iv.  i  ff.,  the  Messianic  peace 
implies  the  cessation  of  warfare. 
On  the  other  hand,  Isa.  ix.  5  f. 
is  quite  apposite  with  its  reference 
to  a  period  of  "peace  without 
end"  (with  which  is  coupled  a 
reign  of  "justice  and  righteous- 
ness," hence  of  internal,  civic 
peace)  ushered  in  by  a  king- 
liberator  of  warlike  character,  who 
is  to  break  down  the  yoke  of 
his  people's  oppressors,  making 
away  with  "  every  boot  that  treads 
down  noisily,  and  every  cloak  that 


is  rolled  in  blood."  The  present 
passage  is  but  the  prelude  to 
iv.  i  ff. ;  first  peace  to  Israel, 
through  warfare  if  necessary;  then 
peace  to  human  kind,  when  war 
shall  be  no  more. 

the  Assyrian]  The  enemy 
threatening  the  Messianic  king- 
dom is  identified  with  the  domi- 
nant power  in  the  times  of  the 
prophet. 

in  our  palaces'}  The  Greek 
Version:  z'«0wr/a?Kf  (=^'~\01N2?). 

raise  against him~\  i.  e.  as  adver- 
saries, to  be  leaders  in  combating 
the  intruding  foe.  Perhaps  we 
should  render:  set  by  his  side, 
i.  e.  by  the  side  of  the  Messiah, 
as  his  aids  and  lieutenants. 

seven  .  .  .  eight]  A  goodly 
number  (Ibn  Ezra,  Kimhi ;  comp. 
Eccles.  xi.  2,  and  elsewhere). 
Possibly,  however,  the  numbers 
are  to  be  taken  as  traditional,  and 
the  reference  is  here  to  the 
"Companions  of  the  Messiah." 
See  Additional  Note  V. 

among  men]  The  sense  is  ob- 
scure. 

5.  waste]  The  Hebrew  properly 


v.  6.] 


MICAH,  V. 


55 


And  the  land  of  Nimrod  with  the  naked  sword : 

And  he  shall  deliver  us  from    the  Assyrian,  when    he 

cometh  into  our  land, 
And  when  he  treadeth  within  our  border. 

6 — 8.      The  greatness  of  the  restored  community. 

*And   the    remnant    of  Jacob,    in    the    midst  of  many  6 

peoples,  shall  be 

As  dew  from  the  Lord,  as  showers  upon  the  grass, 
That  are  not  looked  for  from  man, 
Nor  awaited  at  the  hands  of  the  sons  of  Adam. 

''Haftarah  (Prophetic  Lesson)  corresponding  to  the  Lesson  from  the 
Torah,  Balak  (Num.  xxii.  2 — xxv.  9). 


means  :  feed  on,  eat  up  ( said  of 
grazing  cattle),  and  the  verb  is 
intended  as  a  play  on  shepherds 
in  the  preceding  verse. 

the  land  of  Nimrod  ]  A  poetic 
appellation  of  Assyria  for  the  sake 
of  parallelism.  According  to  Gen. 
x.  8  ff.,  Nimrod  was  the  founder  of 
Babylonian  civilization.  Assyria 
is  clearly  indicated  there  as  an  off- 
shoot (colony)  from  Babylonia. 
In  Nimrod,  Babylonia  and  Assyria 
may  be  said  to  be  united. 

with  the  naked  sword~\  So 
Aquila,  an  anonymous  Greek 
version  (  "Quinta"),  Vulgate,  Ibn 
Ezra,  Kimhi.  Perhaps  a  slight 
change  of  the  text  (nn'ji£52  for 
rrnniO)  is  necessary. 


and  he  shall  deliver  us~\  The 
object  is  supplied  from  the  con- 
text. Subject :  the  Messiah  ( Kim- 
hi), or  read:  they  pJPl). 

when  he  cometh  .  .  .  when  he 
treadeth}  Implying:  so  that  he 
may  not  come  nor  tread. 

6 — 8.  THE  GREATNESS  OF  THE 
RESTORED  COMMUNITY. 

6.  And  the  remnant  of  Jacob, 
&c.]  So  with  the  accents. 

as  dew~\  The  Biblical  "dew" 
is  the  night-mist  of  the  summer 
months  in  Palestine,  which  rep- 
resents the  condensed  moisture 
brought  by  westerly  winds  from 
the  Mediterranean  and  cooled  by 
the  night  air.  As  rain  does  not 
fall  from  the  beginning  of  May  to 


MICAH,  V. 


[vv.  7-9. 


And  the  remnant  of  Jacob,  among  the  nations,  in  the 

midst  of  many  peoples,  shall  be 
As  a  lion  among  the  beasts  of  the  forest, 
As  a  young  lion  among  the  flocks  of  sheep : 
Who,  if  he  go  through,  treadeth  down  and  teareth  in  pieces, 
And  there  is  none  to  deliver. 

Let  Thy  hand  be  lifted  up  above  Thine  adversaries, 
And  let  all  Thine  enemies  be  cut  off. 

9 — 14.    The  community  freed  from  the  reprehensible  features 
of  the  present  order  of  things  and  unmolested  by  enemies. 

And  it  shall  come  to  pass  in  that  day,  saith  the  Lord, 


the  latter  part  of  October,  the 
night-mist  supplies  to  the  parched 
vegetation  moisture  abundant 
enough  to  sustain  the  summer 
crops  (see  article  Dew  in  the 
Encyclopedia  Biblica}.  The  point 
of  comparison  is  set  forth  in  the 
end  of  the  verse.  Just  as  the  dew 
and  the  rain  are  blessings  from 
the  Lord  which  no  human  effort 
can  bring  about,  so  the  re- 
stored community,  as  it  shall  stand 
forth  among  the  nations,  will  be 
the  direct  result  of  the  divine 
salvation  coming  spontaneously 
and  when  least  expected  (Mena- 
hem  bar  Helbo).  The  dew  is 

elsewhere  (Isa.  xxvi.  19)  an  em- 
blem of  resurrection  ;  comp.  the 
Targumic  phrase:  "the  dew  of 
resurrection"  (Kfirnm  J'btD,  Ps. 
Ixviii.  10 ;  comp.  Hagigah  12  b). 


from  the  Lord]  Explained  in 
the  second  half  of  the  verse. 

7.  The  community  thus  con- 
stituted will  be  an  object  of  fear. 

among  the  nations']  The  words 
are  inserted  by  the  Greek  Version 
also  in  verse  6. 

8.  The  uplifted  hand,  to  which 
is  opposed  the  slack  hand,  is  the 
symbol  of  powerful  activity.    The 
enemies  of  Israel  are  the  enemies 
of  the  Lord.    As  the  text  reads, 
we  have  here  a  prayer,  a  sigh  of 
the  community  in  exile. 

9 — 14.  THE  COMMUNITY  FREED 
FROM  THE  REPREHENSIBLE  FEA- 
TURES OF  THE  PRESENT  ORDER 
OF  THINGS  AND  UNMOLESTED  BY 
ENEMIES. 

9.  in  that  day}    According  to 
the    context,    in    the    Messianic 
period,  the  aim  of  the  prophet 


W.   10-12.] 


MICAH,  V. 


57 


That  I  will  cut  off  thy  horses  out  of  the  midst  of  thee, 

And  will  destroy  thy  chariots : 

And  I  will  cut  off  the  cities  of  thy  land,  10 

And  will  throw  down  all  thy  strongholds: 

And  I  will  cut  off  witchcrafts  out  of  thy  hand;  n 

And  thou  shalt  have  no  more  soothsayers : 

And    I  will   cut   off  thy  graven  images  and  thy  pillars  12 

out  of  the  midst  of  thee ; 
And    thou    shalt   no   more    worship    the    work    of  thy 

hands. 


being  not  so  much  to  describe 
the  latter  as,  by  contrast,  to 
castigate  the  reprehensible  prac- 
tices in  vogue  in  his  own  day. 
Thus  a  transition  is  effected  to 
the  subject-matter  of  the  follow- 
ing sections. 

thy  horses  .  .  .  thy  chariots'} 
See  note  on  i.  13. 

10.  the  cities~\    Fortified  cities 
are  meant. 

1 1 .  witchcrafts  out  of  thy  hand} 
Apparently  such  magic  arts  are 
alluded  to  as  were  manipulated 
by  the  hand. 

soothsayers'}  Probably  those 
who  divine  by  observing  the 
clouds  (Hebrew  meonenim;  for 
rabbinic  explanations  see  Sanhe- 
drin  650). 

12.  pillars'}   The  word  ( masse- 
bah]    occurs  in    Phoenician  and 
Palmyrene,    and,     as     may     be 
gathered    from    the    objects    on 


which  it  is  inscribed,  designates 
a  commemorative  obelisk  erected 
over  a  tomb  (hence  in  late  He- 
brew: a  tombstone  in  general), 
or  in  honor  of  a  deity.  The 
massebah,  though  employed 
freely  by  the  patriarchs  (Gen. 
xxviii.  22;  xxxi.  45,  51  f. ;  comp. 
also  Exod.  xxiv.  4;  Isa.  xix.  19; 
Hosea  iii.  4;  in  the  last  two 
passages,  however,  an  accom- 
modation to  the  custom  of  the 
Egyptians  and  the  idolatrous 
Israelites),  is  usually  charac- 
terized as  a  heathen  symbol 
of  the  Canaanites,  and  pro- 
scribed ( Exod.  xxiii.  24,  and  else- 
where). 

worship  the  work  of  thy  hands'} 
The  images  alone  were  properly 
an  object  of  worship ;  never- 
theless, the  massebot  were  like- 
wise associated  with  the  impure 
worship. 


MICAH,  V,  VI. 


[vv.  13,  14;  i. 


13  And  I  will  pluck  up  thine  Asherim  out   of  the  midst 

of  thee: 
And  I  will  destroy  thine  enemies. 

14  And  I  will  execute  vengeance  in  anger  and  fury  upon 

the  nations, 
Because  they  hearkened  not. 

CHAP.  VI.  i — 8.    A  contrwersy  between  the  Lord  and  Israel. 
The  false  and  the  true  service  of  the  Lord. 

i       Hear  ye  now  what  the  Lord  is  saying : 
'Arise,  contend  thou  before  the  mountains, 
And  let  the  hills  hear  thy  voice.' 


13.  Asherint]  Singular:  Ashe- 
rah, a  post  or  pole,  planted  in  the 
ground  beside  an  altar  and  vene- 
rated as  a  sacred  symbol.     The 
Asherah     is    prohibited     in    the 
Torah  (Deut.  xvi.  21  f.) ;  the  de- 
struction  of  Canaanite  Asherim 
is  likewise  enjoined  (Exod.  xxxiv. 
13,  and  elsewhere).    Nevertheless 
the  Canaanite  custom  was  imitated 
by  the  unspiritual  Israelites.     A 
famous    Asherah    in  Samaria  is 
alluded  to  II  Kings  xiii.  6  (comp. 
I  Kings  xvi.  33).  Josiah  destroyed 
the  Asherah  erected  by  Manasseh 
in  the  Temple  (II  Kings  xxiii.  6f.; 
xxii.  7). 

thine  enemies]  So  the  Masorah, 
Targum,  Rashi,  Ibn  Ganah,  Kimhi. 

14.  upon    the   nations'}      The 


enemies  are  the  nations  that 
are  both  directly  and  indirectly  a 
source  of  danger  to  Israel.  From 
the  nations  come  the  attacks  on 
Israel's  security;  from  them  the 
idolatrous  worship  and  the  mili- 
tary ambitions.  The  nations  must 
be  destroyed,  so  that  Israel,  living 
in  safety  and  freed  from  the  con- 
tagion, may  devote  itself  to  that 
life  which  is  truly  consonant  with 
its  genius,  and  become  the  holy 
nation  the  Lord  has  destined  it 
to  be. 

because  they  hearkened  not~\ 
In  the  language  of  the  Midrash 
(Sifre  on  Deut.  xxxiii.  2),  be- 
cause they  refused  to  receive 
the  Law  at  the  time  that  Israel 
did. 


W.  2,  3.] 


MICAH,  VI. 


59 


Hear,  O  ye  mountains,  the  Lord's  controversy, 

And  ye  enduring  rocks,  the  foundations  of  the  earth : 

For  the  Lord  hath  a  controversy  with  His  people, 

And  He  will  plead  with  Israel. 

O  My  people,  what  harm  have  I  done  unto  thee? 

And  wherein  have  I  wearied  thee? 

Testify  against  Me. 


CHAPTER  VI. 

I — 8.  A  CONTROVERSY  BE- 
TWEEN THE  LORD  AND  ISRAEL. 

THE   FALSE  AND   THE   TRUE  SER- 
VICE OF  THE  LORD. 

1.  is  saying}  So,  correctly,  Tar- 
gum  and  Vulgate.    The  prophet 
bids  the  people  listen  to  the  divine 
word  just  at  this  moment  becom- 
ing audible  to  him. 

contend  thou  before  the  moun- 
tains'] Not  with,  which,  though 
the  usual  meaning  of  the  Hebrew 
particle,  is  clearly  impossible  here. 
In  the  ensuing  controversy,  the 
Lord,  as  it  were,  keeps  in  the 
background,  the  prophet  appear- 
ing in  His  stead  and  on  His  behalf 
as  prosecutor. 

2.  The  prophet  forthwith  exe- 
cutes the  divine  command.     The 
everlasting    mountains,    as    wit- 
nesses of  the  Lord's  dealings  with 
Israel   in  ancient  times,  are  im- 
panelled as  a  jury.    The  Midrash 
takes  the  mountains  as  the  "fa- 
thers" (patriarchs),  and  the  hills 


as  the  "mothers"  (Exod.  rabba 
ch.  xv  and  xxviii,  Rosh  ha- 
shanah  u  a,  certain  manuscripts 
of  the  Targum). 

and  ye  enduring  rocks]  The 
meaning  "strong"  is  assigned 
to  the  Hebrew  adjective  fre- 
quently in  the  ancient  versions, 
also  in  the  Talmud  (Sotah  460:; 
Rosh  ha-shanah  na).  Arabic, 
however,  suggests  the  rendering 
adopted  in  the  text  (comp.  Num. 
xxiv.  21,  and  elsewhere). 

3.  The  argument  is  entered 
upon.  There  is  a  tone  of  tender- 
ness throughout.  The  Lord  for 
the  moment  plays  the  defendant. 
The  fault  is  not  on  His  side ;  for 
He  has  been  uniformly  kind  to 
Israel.  Thus,  indirectly,  the  nation 
is  accused  of  ingratitude. 

what  harm,  &c.]  So,  correctly, 
Ibn  Ezra  and  Kimhi. 

And  wherein  have  /  wearied 
thee\  By  what  excessive  de- 
mands (comp.  Isa.  xliii.  23),  by 
what  unkept  promises  (comp. 


6o 


MICAH,  VI. 


[w.  4,  5. 


Is  it  because  I  brought  thee  up  out  of  the  land  of  Egypt, 
And  redeemed  thee  out  of  the  house  of  bondage, 
And  sent  before  thee  Moses,  Aaron,  and  Miriam  ? 
O  My  people,  remember  now  what  Balak  king  of  Moab 

devised, 

And  what  Balaam  the  son  of  Beor  answered  him ; 
From  Shittim  unto  Gilgal, 
That  ye  may  know  the  righteous  acts  of  the  Lord. 


Jer.  ii.  31)  have  I  subjected 
thee  to  too  great  exertion,  or  ex- 
hausted thy  patience,  and  thus 
afforded  thee  a  pretext  for  desert- 
ing Me  ? 

4.  On  the  contrary,  I  bestowed 
upon  thee  singular  favors.  The 
arraignment  gains  in  force  by  the 
ironical  query.  Comp.  Amos  ii. 
10 ;  Jer.  ii.  6;  also  Hosea  xi.  i; 
xii.  14. 

and  redeemed  thee  out  of  the 
house  of  bondage']  Comp.  Deut. 
vii.  8 ;  xiii.  6,  and  elsewhere. 

and  sent  before  thee~\  The 
"sending"  implies  a  divine  com- 
mission ;  "before  thee",  guid- 
ance in  the  flight  from  Egypt  and 
the  journeyings  from  the  wilder- 
ness as  well  as  spiritual  ministry. 
Moses  and  Aaron  are  coupled 
together  as  the  people's  guides, 
or  priests,  Ps.  Ixvii.  21  (20);  xcix.  6 
(comp.  Exod.  iii.  14  ff.,  and  else- 
where) .  After  the  passage  through 
the  Red  Sea,  Miriam  arouses  the 


enthusiasm  of  the  women  as  Moses 
does  that  of  the  men  ( Exod.  xv.  i, 
20).  The  three  are  designated  as 
prophets  (Num.  xii) ;  but  the 
primacy  of  Moses  is  emphasized 
(ibid. ).  Comp.  also  Hosea  xii.  14; 
Isa.  Ixiii.  12,  and  elsewhere.  The 
Targum  paraphrases  :  three 
prophets,  Moses  to  teach  the  Law, 
Aaron  to  atone  for  the  people,  and 
Miriam  to  instruct  the  women. 

5.  Balak  king  of  Moab  devised] 
Comp.  Num.  xxii.  6. 

Balaam  the  son  of  Beor  an- 
swered him\  Comp.  Num.  xxiii. 
yff.;  i8ff.;  xxiv.  3ff.;  15 ff.;  Joshua 
xxiv.  9  f. 

from  Shittim  unto  Gilgal~\ 
There  is  an  apparent  difficulty  in 
construing  these  words.  The  ref- 
erence, however,  can  only  be  to 
the  crossing  of  the  Jordan  and  the 
transition  from  the  camp  life  in 
the  plains  of  Moab  (comp.  Joshua 
ii.  i)  to  settled  conditions  on  the 
other  side  of  the  Jordan  (ibid., 


v.  6.] 


MICAH,  VI. 


61 


Wherewith  shall  I  come  before  the  Lord, 
And  bow  myself  before  God  on  high  ? 
Shall  I  come  before  Him  with  burnt- offerings, 
With  calves  of  a  year  old  ? 


x.  9-12 ;  comp.  Exod.  xvi.  35). 
So,  correctly,  the  Targum.  The 
possession  of  the  Holy  Land 
is  the  climax  to  the  divine  favors 
begun  with  the  exodus  (comp. 
Amos  ii.  10;  Jer.  ii.  7). 

the  righteous  acts}  The  Hebrew 
sedakah  means  more  than  "  right- 
eousness "  in  the  sense  of  justice, 
i.  e.  of  giving  to  every  man  that 
which  is  his  due  by  law ;  it  in- 
cludes equity  and  humane  con- 
duct, kindness.  As  an  attribute 
of  the  Lord,  it  is  coupled  with 
hesed,  "  lovingkindness "  (Ps. 
xxxvi.  ii  [10];  ciii.  17);  His 
righteous  acts  are  those  which 
work  blessings  (Ps.  xxiv.  5)  and 
salvation  (Isa.  xlv.  8,  and  else- 
where). Here  (as  in  I  Sam.  xii.  7) 
the  divine  favors  to  Israel  in  the 
course  of  the  nation's  history,  and 
especially  in  the  beginning  there- 
of, are  meant. 

6.  The  reply  of  the  penitent 
people,  which  only  serves  to  bring 
out  their  utter  lack  of  understand- 
ing as  to  the  right  kind  of  service 
demanded  by  the  Lord.  The 
willingness  of  the  people  to  repay 
the  Lord's  favors  is  pathetic,  ex- 


actly as  the  kind  of  service  they 
offer  in  their  indolent,  cringing, 
cowardly  spirit  is  insulting  to  the 
Deity.  The  arraignment  thus 
really  continues,  and  the  people 
are  condemned  out  of  their  own 
mouth. 

come  before]  i.  e.  meet,  as  one 
meets,  or  receives,  a  friend,  or 
guest,  with  gifts,  with  bread  and 
water  (Isa.  xxi.  14;  Deut.  xxiii.s). 
Hence  come  before  =  make  an 
offering  to  (Vulgate). 

bow  myself]  i.  e.  bend  my  head 
(Isa.  Iviii.  5)  in  humble  submis- 
sion and  worship. 

before  God  on  high}  i.  e.  in 
heaven.  The  great  and  lofty  God 
who  inhabits  the  height  of  heaven 
(comp.  Isa.  xxxiii.  5)  is  the  Holy 
God  (ibid.,  Ivii.  15),  transcendent 
in  character,  yet  by  no  means  un- 
approachable and  distant. 

burnt-offerings}  i.  e.  offerings 
in  which  the  victim  is  totally  con- 
sumed by  fire  upon  the  altar,  no 
portion  of  the  flesh  being  used  for 
food,  distinguished  from  the  other 
sacrificial  variety  called  "sacri- 
fice" '  (zebah )  or  "  peace-offering ' ' 
(shelem,  s/ie/amim), of  which,  after 


62 


MICAH,  VI. 


[v.  7- 


Will  the  Lord  be  pleased  with  thousands  of  rams, 
Or  with  ten  thousands  of  rivers  of  oil  ? 
Shall  I  give  my  first-born  for  my  transgression, 
The  fruit  of  my  body  for  the  sin  of  my  soul  ? 


the  internal  organs  together  with 
the  fat  have  been  consumed  on 
the  altar,  the  flesh  is  eaten  by  the 
sacrificer  and  his  invited  guests, 
barring  certain  portions,  which  are 
given  to  the  priest  as  his  due 
(comp.  Lev.  i;  iii ;  vi.  1-6;  vii. 
11-34).  The  Torah  speaks  also 
of  "sin-offerings"  (of  which  the 
"guilt-offering  "  is  a  sub-variety), 
of  which  the  flesh  is  either  eaten 
by  the  priest,  or  burnt  outside  the 
camp  (comp.  Lev.  iv;  v;  vi.  17- 
vii.6).  The  burnt  and  sin-offerings 
are  holy  in  the  first  degree,  while 
the  peace-offerings  are  holy  only 
in  the  second  degree.  The  burnt- 
offering  is  clearly  typical  of  the 
idea  of  sacrifice  as  a  gift  to  the 
Deity;  it  is  wholly  accepted  by 
Him,  while  in  the  case  of 
the  other  sacrifices  He  cedes  of 
His  own  "food"  (ibid.,  xxi.  6, 
and  elsewhere)  to  the  priest,  or 
to  the  sacrificer,  entertaining 
them,  as  it  were,  at  His  own 
"table"  (Mai.  i.  7;  comp.  Lev. 
rabba,  ch.  xxii).  While  in  the 
early  period,  antedating  even  the 
beginnings  of  the  national  life  of 
Israel,  crude  notions  were  enter- 


tained with  reference  to  the  needs 
of  the  Deity,  it  is  certain  that, 
though  the  phrases  persisted  to  a 
late  date,  their  grosser  conno- 
tations had  been  eliminated  from 
the  consciousness  of  the  people, 
and  the  sacrifices  had  come  to  be 
looked  upon  merely  as  symbolic 
of  the  readiness  of  the  worshipper 
to  give  up  his  very  best  as  an  ex- 
pression of  his  dependence  on  the 
Deity.  See  Additional  Note  VI. 

with  calves  of  a  year  old] 
Comp.  Lev.  i.  3,  5. 

7.  Nor  is  it  a  question  of 
quantity. 

rams']  Poetic  specification 
(comp.  I  Sam.  xv.  22). 

oil]  Oil  was  used,  as  far  as  we 
know,  principally  in  connection 
with  the  "meal-offering"  (Lev. 
ii ;  comp.  ibid.,  xiv.  10  ff.;  Ezek. 
xlv.  14).  IntheMishnah  (Zebahim 
x.  8)  a  votive  or  freewill-offering 
of  oil  (without  flour)  is  recognized. 

my  first-born  .  .  .  the  fruit  of  my 
body}  The  Torah  prescribes  that 
all  male  first-born,  whether  of  man 
or  beast,  belong  to  the  Lord 
(Exod.  xiii.  2,  and  elsewhere), 
and  must  be  dedicated,  or  offered 


v.  8.] 


MICAH,  VI. 


It  hath  been  declared  unto  thee,  O  man,  what  is  good :  8 
And  what  doth  the  Lord  require  of  thee, 


to  Him  (Exod.  xiii.  2,  12),  i.  e. 
the  offerable  animals  as  sacrifices 
(ibid.,  15),  while  certain  unclean 
animals  and  the  human  first-born 
are  to  be  redeemed,  the  former 
by  an  offerable  animal,  and  the 
latter  by  the  payment  of  money 
to  the  priest  (ibid.,  13,  15;  see 
Mekilta  on  verse  13).  On  the 
other  hand,  the  sacrifice  of  chil- 
dren "unto  Moloch"  is  forbidden 
as  a  profanation  of  the  name  of 
the  Lord  under  the  penalty  of 
death  (Lev.  xviii.  21;  xx.  2-5; 
comp.  Deut.  xviii.  10).  Moreover, 
it  is  included  among  the  abomin- 
able practices  of  the  Canaanites 
which  the  Israelites  are  ad- 
monished to  shun  (Deut.  xii.  31). 
See  Additional  Note  VII. 

for  my  transgression . .  .for  the 
sin  of  my  soul~\  The  principal 
function  of  the  sacrificial  cult  is 
piacular.  The  gift  is  to  symbolize 
the  devotion  of  the  repentant 
sinner,  who,  estranged  from  God 
by  his  sin,  would  restore  himself 
to  divine  favor  and  re-establish 
relations  with  the  Deity.  As  a 
symbol  of  repentance  sacrifice  is, 
of  course,  by  no  means  reprehen- 
sible ;  from  this  point  of  view 
sacrifice  as  an  institution  is  or- 


dained in  the  Torah.     See  Ad- 
ditional Note  VI. 

8.    The  prophet  replies. 

//  hath  been  declared  unto 
thee\  The  logical  subject  is  in- 
definite (Greek  Version,  Aquila, 
Theodotion,  Targum).  It  is 
characteristic  of  the  Hebrew  idiom 
to  suppress  the  subject  when 
indefinite ;  sometimes,  with  the 
same  force,  the  subject  is  ex- 
pressed according  to  the  well- 
known  pattern :  when  he  who 
hears,  hears.  (II  Sam.  xvii.  9) 
=  when  it  is  heard.  So  here, 
in  a  fuller  manner,  it  might  have 
been  said :  He  who  hath  declared, 
or  the  declarer,  hath  declared 
unto  thee,  i.  e.  those  charged  with 
declaring  (revealing,  making 
known)  the  word  of  God,  the 
prophets,  have  made  known  to 
thee.  Micah,  it  may  be  for 
reasons  of  modesty,  refrains  from 
pronouncing  the  following  teach- 
ing in  his  own  name  ;  but,  in  truth, 
with  Amos  and  Hosea  before  him, 
not  to  mention  Moses,  he  could 
scarcely  claim  originality  for  him- 
self. 

O  man]  The  individual  Jew, 
though  a  member  of  the  holy 
nation,  is  a  man  among  men, 


64 


MICAH,  VI. 


[v.  8. 


But  to  execute  justice,  and  to  love  kindness, 
And  to  walk  humbly  with  thy  God  ?  * 


*  Here  ends  the  Lesson. 


having  duties  to  his  fellow-men 
of  whatever  nationality,  and 
recognizing  the  supra-national 
foundations  of  morality.  In  intro- 
ducing the  laws  prohibiting  incest 
and  other  gross  immoralities, 
among  them  also  the  law  for- 
bidding child  sacrifice,  the  Law- 
giver, though  clearly  declaring 
that  such  immoralities  are  prac- 
tised both  by  the  Egyptians  and 
Canaanites,  nevertheless  desig- 
nates those  laws  as  ordinances 
"  by  which,  if  a  man  do  them,  he 
shall  live"  (Lev.  xviii  5).  The 
rabbis  have  certainly  grasped  the 
full  meaning  of  this  word  when 
they  say  by  way  of  explicit  com- 
ment :  "  It  is  not  written,  A  priest, 
a  Levite,  or  an  Israelite,  but  a 
man  ;  hence,  even  a  Gentile  who 
keeps  the  Torah  is  as  worthy  as 
the  high  priest.  So  it  is  also 
written,  'And  this  is  the  law  of 
man'  (II  Sam.  vii.  19) ;  'Open  ye 
the  gates,  that  the  righteous  Gen- 
tile (^3)  who  keepeth  truth  may 
enter  in'  (Isa.  xxvi.  2);  'This  is 
the  gate  of  the  Lord :  the  right- 
eous shall  enter  into  it '  (Ps.  cxviii. 
20) ;'  Rejoice  in  the  Lord,  O  ye 
righteotts'  (Ps.  xxxiii.  i);  'Do 


good,  O  Lord,  unto  those  who 
are  good''  (Ps.  cxxv.  4)"  (Sifra 
on  Lev.  xviii.  5 ;  Baba  kamma 
380;  Sanhedrin  59  a  ;  77  a). 

and  to  love  kindness]  Hebrew : 
hesed,  a  term  signifying  the  doing 
of  such  favors  as  are  not  exactly 
a  matter  of  justice,  and  certainly 
not  of  legal  requirement ;  it  is 
more  comprehensive  than,  and 
therefore  inclusive  of,  "mercy," 
i.  e.  kindness  extended  to  the 
lowly,  needy,  and  miserable.  In 
the  phraseology  of  the  rabbis, 
"the  doing  of  kindnesses  (ni;"D3 
0*1  DPI)"  is  a  wide  term  desig- 
nating all  charitable  acts  to  per- 
sons not  necessarily  dependent, 
especially  such  as  go  with  personal 
service  (Sukkah  49^).  According 
to  Rabbi  Eleazar,  almsgiving  be- 
comes a  complete  act  of  charity 
only  if  coupled  with  a  deed  of 
kindness  (ibid.).  The  same 
teacher  maintains  that,  while 
almsgiving  transcends  in  value  all 
sacrifices,  deeds  of  kindness  are 
greater  than  almsgiving  (ibid.) 

and  to  walk  hitmbly  with  thy 
God]  Walking  with  God  means 
living  in  intimacy  and  close  fellow- 


v.  9-]  MICAH,  VI.  65 

9 — 1 6.    Denunciation  of  the  injustice  of  the  rich  and  ruling 

classes. 

Hark  !  the  Lord  crieth  unto  the  city, 

(And  the  man  of  wisdom  will  see  Thy  name  :) 

Hear  ye  the  rod,  and  who  hath  appointed  it. 


ship  with  God  and  in  a  manner 
pleasingto  Him  (comp.  Gen.v.  22, 
and  elsewhere).  Humbly  =  mod- 
estly, retiringly,  unobtrusively, 
unostentatiously,  not  with  the 
devotion  which  must  express  it- 
self in  costly  and  public  sacrificial 
gifts  (or  acts  of  charity),  but  with 
inward  devotion  and  noiseless  acts 
of  love.  Humility  is  the  keynote 
of  Jewish  ethical  teachings.  The 
Jewish  saint  is  pre-eminently 
humble  (Num.  xii.  3;  Berakot6£). 
According  to  Rabbi  Phinehas  ben 
Jair,  Torah  leads  to  caution ; 
caution  leads  to  forethought  ; 
forethought  leads  to  sinlessness ; 
sinlessness  leads  to  asceticism ; 
asceticism  leads  to  purity  ;  purity 
leads  to  holiness ;  holiness  leads 
to  humility ;  humility  leads  to 
the  fear  of  sin  ;  fear  of  sin  leads 
to  piety ;  piety  leads  to  the  holy 
spirit ;  the  holy  spirit  paves  the 
way  for  the  resurrection  ( Abodah 
zarah  20 b}.  The  rabbis  add  that- 
piety,  leading  as  it  does  to  the 
holy  spirit,  is  the  highest  degree 
of  all ;  while  Rabbi  Joshua  ben 


Levi  assigns  the  highest  place  to 
humility  (ibid.).  Modesty,  says 
the  Midrash  ( Pesikta  rabbeti,  ed. 
Friedmann,  p.  185  b},  is  most 
pleasing  to  God.  It  is  especially 
a  virtue  of  the  Jewish  woman 
(Shabbat  140  £;  Num.  rabba, 
ch.  i),  but  also  of  the  Jewish 
man  (ibid.,  53 b;  Menahot43a). 

9 — 16.  DENUNCIATION  OF  THE 
INJUSTICE  OF  THE  RICH  AND 
RULING  CLASSES.  See  Addi- 
tional Note  II. 

9.  Hark  \  &c.]  The  prophet 
is  speaking.  The  city  is  appar- 
ently Jerusalem  ;  the  Lord  crieth 
unto  her,  i.  e.  declares  to  her 
her  guilt  and  the  consequences 
thereof. 

and  the  man  of  wisdom,  &c.] 
So  Ibn  Ezra  and  Kimhi.  But  the 
words  ' '  the  man  of ' '  are  not  in 
the  Hebrew,  and  their  omission 
does  not  appear  justified  by  other 
analogies.  Nor  does  the  rendering 
"and  Thy  name  shall  see  that 
which  is,"  yield  a  satisfactory 
sense.  Others  translate :  it  is 


66 


MICAH,  VI. 


[w.  10,  ii. 


Are  there  yet  the  treasures  of  wickedness  in  the  house 

of  the  wicked, 

And  the  scant  measure  that  is  abominable  ? 
Shall  I  be  pure  with  wicked  balances, 
And  with  a  bag  of  deceitful  weights  ? 


wisdom  to  look  for  Thy  name, 
a  parenthetical  remark  urging  the 
importance  of  giving  heed  to  the 
following  warning  and  threat 
(Reuss) ;  or  (on  the  basis  of  the 
ancient  versions) :  it  is  salvation 
(salutary)  to  fear  Thy  name, 
equally  a  side-remark  showing 
how,  when  the  Lord's  voice  of 
rebuke  is  heard,  those  who,  like 
the  prophet,  fear  God's  name,  need 
not  feel  alarmed,  while  the  wicked 
must  tremble  (Ewald).  The  text 
remains  obscure. 

hear  ye  the  rod,  &c.]  So  Rashi, 
Ibn  Ezra,  Kimhi.  The  rod  is  the 
rod  of  punishment ;  thus  Assyria 
is  designated  as  the  rod  of  the 
Lord's  anger  in  Isa.  x.  5.  "And 
who  hath  appointed  it "  —  the 
pronoun  with  emphasis;  of  course, 
the  Lord  is  meant.  The  Lord 
appoints  the  rod,  as  He  is  said 
to  appoint  the  sword  (Jer. 
xlvii.  7).  Ewald  (comp.  Greek 
Version,  Vulgate,  Targum,  Mena- 
hem  bar  Helbo) :  Hear,  O  tribe, 
and  whoso  assemble th  it  (the 
king). 


10.  Are  there  yet,   &c.]     So 
Kimhi     (comp.   Targum).      The 
arraignment  proceeds  in  the  form 
of  interrogation.      Yet  =  all  this 
time,  in  spite  of  repeated  warn- 
ings.     Other     renderings     have 
been  proposed,  which,  however, 
are  not  convincing. 

and  the  scant  ]  Hebrew:  lean. 
Comp.  Amos  viii.  5;  Deut.  xxv. 
13  ff. 

measure]  Hebrew :  ephah,  a 
grain  measure  =  about  40  litres. 

abominable]  Comp.  Deut.  xxv. 
16. 

11.  Shall  I  be  pure]   The  im- 
personal   "I"    in    the    sense    of 
"one."      The    Greek    Version 
seems    to    have    read    the  third 
person,  equally  in  an  impersonal 
sense.    Pure  —  blameless. 

with  wicked  balances]  Comp. 
Lev.  xix.  36 ;  Deut.  xxv.  13. 
Wicked  =  fraudulent. 

and  with  a  bag]  Comp.  Deut. 
xxv.  13;  Prov.  xvi.  ii.  It  was 
customary  to  carry  small  weights 
in  a  bag  about  the  body. 


w.  12-14.] 


MICAH,  VI. 


67 


For  the  rich  men  thereof  are  full  of  violence,  12 

And  the  inhabitants  thereof  have  spoken  lies, 
And  their  tongue  is  deceitful  in  their  mouth. 
Therefore  I  also  do  smite  thee  with  a  grievous  wound ;      13 
I  do  make  thee  desolate  because  of  thy  sins. 
Thou  shalt  eat,  but  not  be  satisfied ;  14 

And  thy  humiliation  shall  be  in  the  midst  of  thee : 
And  thou  shalt  remove,  but  shalt  not  carry  away  safe ; 
And  that  which  thou  carriest  away  will  I  give  up  to  the 
sword. 


12.  For,    &c.]     In   Hebrew: 
She  (=  the  city;  comp.  verse  9), 
•whose  rich  men. 

are  full  of  violence]  i.  e.  full  of 
the  spirit  of  violence.  And  so 
they  fill  their  houses  with  the  pro- 
ceeds of  their  violence  (comp. 
verse  10  and  Amos  iii.  10 ;  see 
also  note  on  iii.  10). 

have  spoken  lies']  i.  e.  are  un- 
truthful. 

deceitful]  So,  correctly,  Ibn 
Ganah  and  Kimhi. 

13.  Therefore  I  also]     In  ac- 
cordance with  thy  deeds  and  in 
just  retribution. 

do  smite  thee]  The  prophet  is 
addressing  an  individual  among 
the  rich  as  a  typical  example.  His 
fate,  of  course,  will  be  the  fate  of 
them  all. 

14.  Thou  shalt  eat,  &c.]  Comp. 
Lev.  xxvi.  26. 


and  thy  humiliation  shall  be  in 
the  midst  of  thee]  So  Vulgate, 
Ibn  Ganah,  Ibn  Ezra,  Kimhi.  The 
Hebrew  word  rendered  "humili- 
ation" occurs  nowhere  else. 
The  Syriac  Version  and  the  Tar- 
gum  think  of  dysentery  (comp. 
Sifre  on  Deut.  xi.  12).  The  other 
versions  seem  to  have  had  read- 
ings more  or  less  at  variance  with 
the  received  text.  Thus  certain 
manuscripts  of  the  Greek  Version 
render :  /  will  cast  thee  out 
("IHDX1),  while  others,  in  agree- 
ment with  Theodotion,  have  :  it 
shall  become  dark  ("1KTV1);  Sym- 
machus :  it  shall  destroy  thee 
CinWI);  Aquila:  I  will  plant 
thee  cfrlWUI).  None  of  these 
readings  is  satisfactory,  nor  is  the 
rendering  "hunger"  (Ewald)  ac- 
ceptable. Aquila's  text,  however, 
suggests  a  plausible  emendation 


68 


MICAH,  VI. 


[vv.  15,  16. 


15  Thou  shalt  sow,  but  shalt  not  reap : 

Thou  shalt  tread  the  olives,  but  shalt  not  anoint  thee 

with  oil; 
And  the  vintage,  but  shalt  not  drink  the  wine. 

16  For  the  statutes  of  Omri  are  kept, 

And  all  the  works  of  the  house  of  Ahab, 

And  ye  walk  in  their  counsels : 

That  I  may  make  thee  an  astonishment, 

And  the  inhabitants  thereof  a  hissing ; 

And  ye  shall  bear  the  reproach  of  My  people. 


which  is  given   in  the  following 
note. 

and  thou  shalt  remove,  but  shalt 
not  carry  away  safe  ;  and  that 
which  thou  carriest  away]  sc.  of 
thy  'belongings  (in  particular 
women  and  children).  So  Ewald 
(comp.  Aquila  and  certain  manu- 
scripts of  the  Greek  Version, 
hence  the  Vulgate).  Ibn  Ganah 
(followed  by  Ibn  Ezra  and  Kimhi) 
renders:  and  she  (=  thy  wife) 
shall  conceive,  but  shall  not  bear 
(comp.  Deut.  xxviii.  18,  and  for 
the  verb  Job  xxi.  10)  ;  and  whom- 
soever she  beareth.  The  sense 
is  excellent,  and  it  may  be  per- 
missible to  suggest  for  the  two 
preceding  words  the  emended 
reading  :  and  thy  wife  in  her  body 


15.       Thou   shalt    sow,     &c.] 
Comp.  Amos  v.  n. 


anoint  thee  with  oil]  The 
warm  climate  of  Palestine  re- 
quires application  of  fat  to  the 
skin.  It  was  customary  to  oil  the 
body  after  a  bath  (II  Sam.  xii.  20, 
and  elsewhere),  and  also  to  pour 
oil  upon  the  head  (Ps.  cxli.  5,  and 
elsewhere).  The  custom  is  fre- 
quently alluded  to  in  the  Mishnah 
(e.  g.  Yoma  viii.  i). 

vintage"]  The  Hebrew  word 
properly  means  "must"  (accord- 
ing to  Kimhi  metonymically  for 
"grapes"). 

1 6.  for  the  statutes  of  Omri 
are  kept]  Or,  with  a  slight  change 
of  the  text  (TOrni),  for  ye  keep, 
&c.  The  plural  and  the  singular 
interchange,  the  person  addressed 
in  the  preceding  verses  being  typ- 
ical of  the  whole  class  of  grandees. 
"The  statutes  of  Omri"  —  the 
phrase  immediately  suggests  the 


V.    I.] 


MICAH,  VII 


69 


CHAP.  VII.    i — 6.     The  prophet  laments  the  complete   dis- 
ruption of  the  moral  order. 

Woe  is  me  !  for  I  am  as  when  they  have  gathered  the  i 

summer  fruits, 

As  when  they  glean  the  grapes  of  the  vintage : 
There  is  no  cluster  to  eat; 
Nor  first-ripe  fig  which  my  soul  desireth. 


contrast :  the  Lord's  statutes  are 
not  kept.  Omri  was  the  father  of 
Ahab  (I  Kings  xvi.  28).  The 
author  of  the  Book  of  Kings 
describes  him  as  a  king  more 
wicked  than  any  of  his  predeces- 
sors (ibid.,  25). 

and  all  the  works  of  the  house 
of  Ahab]  The  "works"  of  the 
house  of  Ahab,  and  primarily  of 
Ahab,  were  the  introduction  of 
the  Baal  and  Asherah  cults 
(ibid.,  31  f. ),  the  persecution  and 
slaughter  of  the  prophets  of  the 
Lord  (ibid.,  xxii.  27 ;  xviii.  4),  and 
rapacity  exemplified  by  the  rob- 
bery and  judicial  murder  of  Na- 
both  (ibid.,  xxi).  From  Israel  the 
idolatrous  worship  passed  on  to 
Judah  (II  Kings  viii.  27;  comp. 
also  ibid.,  xvi.  3). 

that  I  may,  &c.  ]  The  conse- 
quence is  frequently  presented  by 
the  Scriptural  writers  ironically  as 
design. 

thee]  i.  e.  the  Judaean  grandee. 
It  is  quite  likely  that  the  king  is 


addressed  throughout  the  last 
verses. 

an  astonishment]  i.  e.  an  object 
of  astonishment. 

thereof]  i.  e.  of  Jerusalem. 

a  hissing]  The  two  nouns 
are  coupled  together  frequently 
(comp.  Jer.  xviii.  16,  and  else- 
where. 

and  ye  shall  bear,  &c.]  As 
leaders  of  the  people,  the  reproach 
to  which  they  shall  be  subjected 
will  be  yours.  Our  text  was  read 
by  Targum  and  Vulgate. 

CHAPTER   VII. 

I — 6.  THE  PROPHET  LAMENTS 
THE  COMPLETE  DISRUPTION  OF 
THE  MORAL  ORDER. 

i.  The  prophet  speaks  in  the 
name  of  the  community. 

lam]  as  stripped  of  good  men 
as  an  orchard  or  vineyard  after 
the  fruit  has  been  gathered  in  and 
only  gleanings  are  left. 

as  when  they  have  gathered, 
&c.]  And  a  few  of  the  worst  are 


MICAH,  VII. 


[w.  2,  3. 


The  godly  man  is  perished  out  of  the  earth, 

And  the  upright  among  men  is  no  more : 

They  all  lie  in  wait  for  blood ; 

They  hunt  every  man  his  brother  with  a  net. 

Their  hands    are   upon    that    which    is    evil    to    do    it 

diligently: 
The  prince  asketh,  and  the  judge  is  ready  for  a  reward; 


left  in  the  orchard.  Possibly  we 
should  render  (comp.  Targum 
and  Rashi) :  as  the  last  of  the 
summer  fruits. 

as  when  they  glean  the  grapes  of 
the  vintage'}  Or,  as  the  grape 
gleanings  of  the  vintage. 

there  is  no  cluster  to  eat~\  Only 
scattered  grapes  remain.  Or  the 
reference  is  to  the  quality,  as  in 
the  following  verse. 

nor  first-ripe  Jig,  &c.]  The 
early  figs  were  regarded  as  a 
delicacy  (comp.  Isa.  xxviii.  4). 
At  the  end  of  the  summer  they 
are,  of  course,  no  more.  For  the 
figurative  sense,  comp.  Isa.  v.  2 ; 
Hosea  ix.  10.  The  soul,  as  often, 
the  seat  of  the  appetites. 

2.  77ii?  godly  man]  Hebrew  : 
hasid,  the  man  who  actively  prac- 
tises hesed,  "kindness,"  "love," 
the  pious  and  saintly  man.  In  the 
Talmud  and  the  post-Talmudic 
literature  the  term  comes  nearest 
to  the  English  "saint."  In  Scrip- 
ture, the  emphasis  seems  to  lie  on 


the  humanitarian  activities  of  the 
hasid  (comp.  Isa.  Ivii.  i;    Ps.  xii. 

2[l]ff.). 

perished~\   i.  e.  disappeared. 

out  of  the  earth']  Although  the 
prophet  is  speaking  with  a  view 
to  his  own  circle,  he  may  con- 
ceivably exaggerate.  Moreover, 
each  godly  man,  as  he  disappears, 
may  well  be  said  to  be  gone  out 
of  the  earth.  The  earth,  the  world, 
is  poorer  for  the  loss  of  him.  See 
the  next  clause. 

and  the  upright,  &c.  ]  Upright- 
ness is  a  human  quality :  one  is 
upright  as  a  man  among  men. 
See  note  on  vi.  8. 

lie  in  wait  for  blood]  See  note 
on  iii.  10.  In  Sirach  xiii.  19  we 
read  :  ' '  Wild  asses  of  the  wilder- 
ness are  food  for  the  lion  :  so  the 
poor  are  the  prey  of  the  rich." 

3.  the  prince  asketh~\  Supply: 
the  judge  for  a  bribe. 

and  the  judge  is  ready  for  a 
reward]  From  the  hands  of  the 
rich  man. 


v.  4-] 


MICAH,  VII. 


And  the  great  man,  he  uttereth  the  evil  desire  of  his  soul : 

Thus  they  weave  it  together. 

The  best  of  them  is  as  a  brier,  4 

The  most  upright  is  worse  than  a  thorn  hedge : 

The  day  of  thy  watchmen,  even  thy  visitation,  is  come ; 

Now  shall  be  their  perplexity. 


and  the  great  man]  i.  e.  the 
rich  man,  the  man  of  influence 
who  corrupts  the  judge. 

he  uttereth  the  evil  desire  of  his 
soul]  So  the  versions  unani- 
mously; "evil  desire "—  wicked 
thought,  plot. 

thus  they]  i.  e.  the  three  leading 
classes  amongst  themselves. 

weave  it  together]  "It,"  indefi- 
nite neuter  object.  The  rendering 
of  the  verb  goes  back  to  a  Tal- 
mudic  authority  ( Rabbi  Berechiah 
in  Palestinian  Talmud,  Ta'anit 
65^),  and  is  apparently  correct. 
Weaving  =  intriguing.  Thus  the 
intrigue  is  accomplished,  the  plot 
against  the  poor. 

4.  is  as  a  brier]  i.  e.  as  crooked 
and  as  prickly. 

the  most  upright  is  worse  than, 
&c.J  Possibly  we  should  read: 
the  most  upright  of  them  is  as  a 
thorn  hedge  (nniDD  D12»).  Comp. 
II  Sam.  xxiii.  5  f. 

the  day  of  thy  watchmen]  The 
prophet  is  a  watchman  seeing  the 
danger  ahead  of  the  people  and 


signalling  to  them,  warning  them 
betimes  (comp.  Isa.  xxi.  6;  Ezek. 
xxxiii.  2  ff.,  and  elsewhere).  Others 
(Targum,  Rashi,  Kimhi ;  comp. 
also  theTalmudic  passage  referred 
to  above)  think  of  the  optimistic 
false  prophets ;  then,  "  the  day  of 
thy  watchmen,"  an  ironical 
phrase,  the  hopes  raised  by  the 
words  being  dashed  by  the  fol- 
lowing exposition. 

thy  visitation,  is  come]  The 
prophetic  tense.  "Visitation" 
(from  the  Latin  visitare,  frequen- 
tative of  visere,  ' '  look  at  atten- 
tively") is  the  Scriptural  word 
for  God's  providential  and  retrib- 
utive activity,  both  in  rewarding 
and  punishing.  Here  the  latter 
connotation  is  meant :  it  is  the 
day  of  reckoning,  the  day  of 
judgment. 

now]  =  then,  at  that  point  in 
the  future. 

shall  be]   i.  e.  come  to  pass. 

their  perplexity]  So  the  Tar- 
gum  correctly  (comp.  Isa.  xxii.  5; 
Exod.  xiv.  3).  The  other  versions 


MICAH,  VII. 


[vv.  5,  6. 


Trust  ye  not  in  a  friend, 

Put  ye  not  confidence  in  a  familiar  friend ; 

Keep  the  doors  of  thy  mouth  from  her  that  lieth  in  thy 

bosom. 

For  the  son  dishonoureth  the  father, 
The  daughter  riseth  up  against  her  mother, 
The  daughter-in-law  against  her  mother-in-law ; 
A  man's  enemies  are  the  men  of  his  own  house. 


(except  the  Vulgate,  which  incor- 
rectly renders:  devastation,  ruin) 
and  the  Talmud  (in  the  passage 
referred  to  above)  read  (or  mis- 
translate) :  their  weeping. 

5.  A  fresh  start.    The  corrup- 
tion has  gone  so  far  that  the  most 
intimate  relations    of  friendship 
and  domestic  life  are  disrupted. 
Comp.  Jer.  ix.  3. 

Trust  ye~\    Impersonal  address. 

6.  the  men  of  his  own  house~\ 
i.  e.  his  domestic  servants  (comp. 
Job  xix.  15). 

In  the  Mishnah  (Sotah  ix.  15) 
our  verse  is  embodied  in  a  passage 
descriptive  of  the  conditions  which 
are  to  obtain  in  the  period  immedi- 
ately preceding  the  advent  of  the 
Messiah  (comp.  also  Matthew  x. 
35  f. ;  Luke  xii.  53).  Similar 
thoughts  and  phraseology  occur 
in  the  apocalyptic  writings  (Ba- 
ruch  Ixx.  3ff. ;  IV  Ezra  v.  9 ;  vi.  24 ; 
Enoch  ii)  and  in  the  Midrashim 
(Sifre  on  Deut.  xxxh.  36;  Pesikta 


rabbeti,  p.4  b:  75  a,  and  elsewhere ; 
Derek  eres  zutta,  ch.  x ;  Cant, 
rabba,  ch.  ii ;  comp.  also  San- 
hedrin97tf  ff. ).  The  idea  under- 
lying these  expectations  is  that 
evil  must  have  run  its  course 
before  the  good  can  come.  The 
hope  in  the  triumphant  advent  of 
the  Kingdom  of  God  is  intensified 
by  the  very  contemplation  of  the 
evil  as  it  exists.  When  the  moral 
corruption  is  greatest,  salvation 
is  surest;  or,  as  the  rabbis  say, 
"out  of  distress  cometh  relief" 
(Midrash  Shoher  Tob  on  Ps.  xxii; 
Jer.  xxx.  7  is  appositely  quoted). 
(Comp.  Friedmann's  remarks  at 
the  end  of  section  xxxvii  of  the 
Pesikta,  which  show  penetration 
into  the  religious  contents  of  the 
Jewish  eschatology.  "Thehope," 
he  says,  "in  the  regeneration  of 
the  world  after  a  period  of  greatest 
physical  and  moral  evil  is  deeply 
implanted  in  the  Jewish  soul."). 
This  thought  dominates  the  pres- 


vv.  7-9.] 


MICAH,  VII. 


73 


7 — 13.    Nevertheless  the  community  hopes  for  a  better  future 
and  for  triumphant  restoration  after  tfie  exile. 

But  as  for  me,  I  will  look  unto  the  Lord : 

I  will  wait  for  the  God  of  my  salvation : 

My  God  will  hear  me. 

Rejoice  not  against  me,  O  mine  enemy: 

Though  I  be  fallen,  I  shall  arise; 

Though  I  sit  in  darkness,  the  Lord  is  a  light  unto  me. 

I  will  bear  the  indignation  of  the  Lord, 

Because  I  have  sinned  against  Him ; 

Until  He  plead  my  cause,  and  execute  judgment  for  me: 


ent  passage,  and  is  expressed  in 
phraseology  which  antedates  the 
prophets.  Hence  the  seemingly 
sudden  transition  to  the  hopeful 
vision,  verse  7  ff.,  where  the 
prophet  speaks  for  the  "rem- 
nant" (verse  18),  the  ideal  com- 
munity which,  when  freed  from 
its  own  sin,  is  destined  to  triumph 
over  the  nations  now  rejoicing  in 
its  downfall. 

7 — 13.  NEVERTHELESS  THE 
COMMUNITY  HOPES  FOR  A  BETTER 
FUTURE  AND  FOR  TRIUMPHANT 
RESTORATION  AFTER  THE  EXILE. 

7.  The  prophet  speaks  in  the 
name  of  the  "remnant." 

8.  Rejoice  not,  &c.]    Assyria, 
typical  of  the    inimical  heathen 
world,  is  addressed.  Comp.  iv.  14. 

in  darkness]    Figuratively  for 


great  distress  and  humiliation 
( comp.  Isa.  ix.  i ;  Ps.  xxiii.  4 ; 
Lam.  iii.  6). 

the  Lord  is  a  light  unto  me] 
Comp.  Ps.  xxvii.  i. 

9.  Penitent  Israel  acknowledges 
its  sins  and  the  justification  of 
its  humbled  condition.  But  the 
day  of  salvation  must  dawn. 

/  will  bear]  i.  e.  willingly  and 
resignedly ;  for  my  punishment  is 
well  deserved,  Comp.  Jer.  xiv. 
7,  20 ;  Ps.  cvi. 

because  I  have  sinned"]  It  is 
the  formula  of  confession. 

my  cause]  The  cause  of  Israel 
against  the  nations  is  this,  that, 
though  chosen  by  God  as  the 
instrument  of  punishment,  they 
have  largely  exceeded  the  limits 
set  to  them,  and  are  bent  on 


74 


MICAH,  VII. 


[v.  10. 


He  will  bring  me  forth  to  the  light, 

And  I  shall  behold  His  righteousness. 

Then  mine  enemy  shall  see  it,  and  shame  shall  cover  her ; 

Who  said  unto  me,  'Where  is  the  Lord  thy  God?' 

Mine  eyes  shall  gaze  upon  her; 

Now  shall  she  be  trodden  down  as  the  mire  of  the  streets. 


annihilating  Israel  (comp.  Isa.  x. 
5  ff '.  ;  xl.  27;  xlix.  4;  Ezek.  xxv. 
8  ff.  ;  xxviii.  22  ff. ;  Ps.  xliii.  i). 
Hence  the  Seventh  Benediction : 
"Look  now  upon  our  affliction, 
and  plead  our  cause,  and  redeem 
•.us,  O  Lord,  speedily  for  the  sake 
of  Thy  name.  Blessed  be  Thou, 
O  Lord,  Redeemer  of  Israel." 
(Singer's  Prayer  Book,  p.  47.) 
The  immediately  preceding  Bene- 
diction contains  the  confession 
of  sin. 

bring  me  forth  to  the  light~\ 
Out  of  my  present  darkness 
(verse  8). 

His  righteousness]  The  Lord 
vindicates  His  own  righteous 
character  by  taking  up  the  cause 
of  the  downtrodden  and  wronged. 
Hence  the  Lord's  righteousness 
is  tantamount  to  His  favor  and 
salvation ;  see  note  on  vi.  5. 

10.  who  said  unto  me,  &c.] 
The  taunt  implies  both  the  humil- 
iation of  Israel  abandoned  by  the 
Lord,  and  the  Lord's  impotence. 
The  community  appeals  to  the 


Lord's  honor  (comp.  II  Kings 
xviii.  34;  Joel  ii.  17;  Ps.  Ixxix. 
10;  cxv.  2). 

shall  gaze  upon  her]  i.  e.  gaze 
with  delight  upon  her  downfall. 

now\   See  note  on  verse  4. 

11-13.  These  verses  are  exceed- 
ingly difficult  and  ambiguous. 
"The  earth"  or  "the  land" 
(verse  13)  may  be  Palestine  or 
the  surrounding  countries.  The 
prophet,  if  the  direct  speaker, 
may  be  threatening  Israel,  or,  on 
the  contrary,  the  nations.  In  the 
former  case,  he  may  after  all 
mention  the  devastation  of  the 
Holy  Land,  not  as  final,  but  as 
preliminary  to  the  gathering  of 
the  dispersed  (verse  12).  It  would 
appear  that  the  person  addressed 
in  verses  n  and  12  is  the  same, 
yet  the  vocalization  introduces  a 
distinction  by  making  the  one  in 
verse  n  a  feminine,  and  the  one 
in  verse  12  a  masculine  person. 
The  translation  and  interpretation 
adopted  here  are  therefore  tenta- 
tive. 


VV.    II,    12.] 


MICAH,  VII. 


75 


'The  day  for   building  thy  walls,  even  that  day,  shall  be  n 

far  removed  ! ' 

There  shall  be  a  day  when  they  shall  come  unto  thee,       12 
From  Assyria  even  to  the  cities  of  Egypt, 
And  from  Egypt  even  to  the  River, 
And  from  sea  to  sea,  and  from  mountain  to  mountain. 


ii.  The  words,  it  would  seem, 
are  spoken  by  Israel's  enemy 
(verses  8  and  10).  The  day  upon 
which  Israel  expects  the  walls 
(literally :  fences']  of  the  holy  city 
to  be  rebuilt,  the  day  of  restora- 
tion, shall  be  far  removed,  shall 
never  come  (so  Rashi).  Other 
translations  and  interpretations : 
A  day  for  building  thy  walls! 
in  that  day  shall  the  decree  be  far 
removed.  The  prophet  is  then 
the  speaker.  The  day  shall  come 
when  thy  walls  shall  be  rebuilt, 
and  the  irksome  subjugation  by 
the  nations  (=  decree)  shall  cease 
(Vulgate,  Targum ;  comp.  Ibn 
Ezra).  Or:  A  day  for  building 
thy  walls!  in  that  day  shall  the 
boundary  (=  decree,  limit)  be  far 
extended  (Reuss  and  others). 
Or :  A  day  for  building  thy  walls  ! 
that  day  shall  be  far  removed. 
That  is,  the  day  of  Israel's  res- 
toration shall  come,  but  it  is 
still  distant,  and,  before  it  comes, 
the  Holy  Land  must  suffer  devas- 
tation on  account  of  Israel's  sins 
( Ewald ) .  All  the  ancient  versions 


presuppose  the  Masoretic  text. 
The  last  word,  however,  may  be 
a  faulty  repetition  of  the  last 
two  letters  of  the  preceding  verb 
(pn  pnT) ;  or  the  two  words 
should  be  read  as  one  (pnplTV). 
12.  The  rendering  adopted  in 
the  text  comes  nearest  to  the  He- 
brew. The  Hebrew, however,  says: 
HE  shall  come  unto  thee.  "Egypt" 
for  Masor  in  agreement  with  com- 
mentators quoted  by  Kimhi  and 
most  moderns  (comp.  Isa.  xix.  6, 
and  elsewhere).  The  Vulgate  and 
Targum  (comp.  Kimhi)  take  the 
word  as  a  common  noun  :  "  forti- 
fied cities,"  "fortress"  (Aquila, 
Theodotion,  Targum  [for  the 
second]  :  "besieged  cities,"  or 
"siege").  According  to  the  Tar- 
gum and  most  moderns  Israel  is 
addressed  by  the  prophet,  who 
predicts  for  that  glorious  day  the 
gathering  of  the  dispersed  from 
all  parts  of  the  world  (comp. 
Deut.  xxx.  3  f.,  and  elsewhere). 
To  this  interpretation  it  may  be 
objected,  in  the  first  place,  that  the 


76 


MICAH,  VII. 


[vv.  13,  14. 


13  And  the  land  shall  be  desolate  for  them  that  dwell  therein, 
Because  of  the  fruit  of  their  doings. 

14 — 20.     The  prophcf  s  concluding  word.    A  prayer  on  behalf 

of  Israel. 

14  Feed  Thy  people  with  Thy  rod,  the  flock  of  Thy  heritage, 


Hebrew  (attested  by  Aquila,  Vul- 
gate, and  Syriac  Version)  reads: 
HE  shall  come,  and  not :  THEY 
shall  come  (the  Hebrew,  it  is  true, 
may  be  taken  as  an  impersonal 
construction;  see  note  on  vi.  8)  ; 
secondly,  that,  after  the  return  of 
the  dispersed,  verse  13  with  its 
reference  to  a  "desolate  land" 
yields  no  satisfactory  sense, 
whether  the  countries  containing 
exiled  Jews,  or  Palestine,  be  meant 
by  the  "land";  thirdly,  that  the 
phraseology  of  the  present  verse 
(from  Assyria  even  to  the  cities 
of  Egypt,  or,  according  to  a  plau- 
sible emendation — Hl?1  for  '""ttfl — , 
from  Assyria  even  to  Egypt) 
points  rather  to  an  area  to  which 
the  subject  implied  in  the  Hebrew 
verb  is  to  go,  and  not  from  which 
it  is  to  come.  It  is  therefore  pos- 
sible that  we  have  here  the  retort 
to  the  taunt  of  Israel's  enemy: 
There  shall  be  a  day  when  he,  i.  e. 
the  enemy,  shall  come,  laying 
waste  the  whole  stretch  of  the 
country  from  Assyria  even  to 
Egypt,  and  from  Egypt  even  to  the 


River  (=Euphrates;  Gen.  xxxi. 
21,  and  elsewhere),  and  from  sea 
to  sea  (from  the  Mediterranean  to 
the  Persian  Gulf),  and  from 
mountain  to  mountain  (from  the 
Syro-Arabian  plateau  to  the  Ira- 
nian and  Armenian  highlands). 
Out  of  the  desolation  of  Western 
Asia  (or  of  the  world;  seeMidrash 
Shoher  Tob  on  Ps.  1.  2)  shall  arise 
the  Messianic  Kingdom  (and  a 
regenerated  world).  It  is  true, 
against  thee  would  suit  the  inter- 
pretation adopted  here  better 
than  unto  thee.  Perhaps  the  He- 
brew should  be  emended  to  read 
thy  enemy  (Tim  for  T"«n)- 

13.  And  the  land,  &c.]  See 
note  on  the  preceding  verse. 
"Notwithstanding,"  "yet"  (Eng- 
lish Versions),  makeshifts  not 
warranted  by  the  Hebrew  idiom. 

for  them,  &c.]  So  that  they 
shall  not  dwell  therein.  It  shall 
be  uninhabited. 

14—20.  .THE  PROPHET'S  CON- 
CLUDING WORD.  A  PRAYER  ON 
BEHALF  OF  ISRAEL. 

The  prophets  are  not  merely 


v.  I5-] 


MICAH,  VII. 


77 


That  dwell  solitarily,  as  a  forest  in  the  midst  of  the  fruitful 

field: 
Let  them  feed  in   Bashan  and   Gilead,   as  in  the  days 

of  old. 
'As  in  the  days  of  thy  coming  forth  out  of  the  land  of  15 

Egypt, 

Will  I  show  unto  him  marvellous  things.' 


castigators  of  their  people's  sins ; 
they  often,  and  always  in  the  end, 
intercede  for  them.  Comp.  Jer. 
xviii.  20. 

14"  Feed]  i.  e.  tend,  as  a  shep- 
herd (comp.  Gen.  xlix.  24,  and 
elsewhere). 

with  Thy  rod~\  Comp.  Ps. 
xxiii.  i  ff. 

the  flock  of  Thy  heritage'} 
Israel  is  called  the  "heritage" 
(=  portion)  of  the  Lord  (Deut. 
iv.  20,  and  elsewhere)  as  His  elect 
people.  As  here,  "people"  (or 
"  nation  " )  and  "  heritage  "  are 
frequently  conjoined  (Isa.  xix.  25, 
and  elsewhere ) .  Equally  the  Holy 
Land  and  the  Temple  are  called 
the  Lord's  heritage  (I  Sam.  xxvi. 
19,  and  elsewhere  ,  Exod.  xv.  17, 
and  elsewhere).  The  designation 
of  Israel  as  the  Lord's  flock  is 
quite  frequent  (Jer.  xiii.  20,  and 
elsewhere). 

that  dwell  solitarily}  i.  e.  in 
seclusion  and  inaccessible  to  foes 


(comp.  Judges  xviii.  7),  hence  se- 
curely (comp.  Deut.  xxxiii.  28). 

as  a  forest  in  the  midst  of  the 
fruitful  fie  Id  ~\  i.  e.  as  inaccessible 
as  a  forest,  &c.  (Ibn  Ezra).  Per- 
haps we  should  read  :  let  them  feed 
(WT  for  TIP)  in  the  midst  of  the 
fruitful  field  ( =  Western  Pales- 
tine). 

Bashan  and  Gilead]  On  the 
east  of  the  Jordan,  occupied  in 
"the  days  of  old"  by  Reuben, 
Gad,  and  half  of  Manasseh  (Num. 
xxxii). 

15.  The  Lord's  reply.  The 
Masoretic  text  is  supported  by 
all  the  ancient  versions.  The 
marvellous  things  are  the  miracles 
incident  to  the  deliverance  from 
Egypt  (Exod.  iii.  20,  and  else- 
where), indeed,  the  deliverance 
itself  as  a  wonderful  act  of  divine 
power  and  intercession  (comp. 
Jer.  xxi.  2  ;  Sirach  xxxv.  6).  See 
Additional  Note  VIII. 

1 6  ff.  The  prophet  again  is 
speaking. 


MICAH,  VII. 


[vv.  16-18. 


16  The  nations  shall  see  and  be  put  to  shame  for  all  their 

might : 

They  shall  lay  their  hand  upon  their  mouth, 
Their  ears  shall  be  deaf. 

17  They  shall  lick  the  dust  like  a  serpent; 

Like  crawling  things  of  the  earth  they  shall  come  trem- 
bling out  of  their  close  places : 
They  shall  come  with  fear  unto  the  Lord  our  God, 
And  shall  be  afraid  because  of  Thee. 

1 8  Who  is  a  God  like  unto  Thee,  that  pardoneth  the  iniquity, 
And  passeth  by  the  transgression,  of  the  remnant  of  His 

heritage  ? 


1 6.  shall  see]   sc.  the  glory  of 
Israel. 

for  all  their  might]  In  spite  of 
all  the  brute  force  in  which  they 
trusted,  and  which  shall  in  no  wise 
avail  them. 

lay  their  hand  upon  their  mouth\ 
i.  e.  be  speechless  as  a  result  of 
their  discomfiture. 

their  ears  shall  be  deaf]  i.  e. 
stupefied  with  the  magnitude  of 
the  catastrophe  which  has  over- 
whelmed them. 

17.  They  shall  lick,  &c.]    The 
serpent,  moving  as  it  does  with 
its  mouth  upon  the  ground,  may 
readily  be  supposed  to  swallow 
more  dust  than  other  animals  (see 
the  commentaries  on  Gen.  iii.  14). 
Licking  the  dust  of  another  per- 
son's feet  means  humble  subjec- 


tion (Targum,  Ibn  Ezra;  comp. 
Isa.  xlix.  23). 

crawling  things  of  the  earth] 
i.  e.  reptiles  crawling  into  the 
earth  to  hide. 

out  of  their  close  places]  i.  e. 
their  fastnesses  (Kimhi;  comp. 
Ps.  xviii.  46.  45),  which  are  likened 
here  to  the  holes  of  reptiles. 

come  with  fear  unto  the  Lord] 
i.  e.  submit  to  Him  in  fear  (comp. 
Hosea  iii.  5). 

1 8  ff.  The  prophet  prays  in  the 
name  of  the  "remnant." 

1 8.  Who  is  a  God,  &c.]  Comp. 
Exod.  xv.  ii,  and  elsewhere. 

that  pardoneth  the  iniquity] 
Comp.  ibid.,  xxxii.  6  ff. 

of  the  remnant  of  His  heritage] 
See  note  on  iv.  7. 


W.   19,  20.] 


MICAH,  VII. 


79 


He  retaineth  not  His  anger  for  ever, 
Because  He  delighteth  in  lovingkindness. 
He  will  again  have  compassion  upon  us ;  19 

He  will  subdue  our  iniquities  : 

And  Thou  wilt  cast  all  their  sins  into  the  depths  of  the  sea. 
Thou  wilt  show  thy  faithfulness  to  Jacob,  and  thy  loving-  20 
kindness  to  Abraham, 


He  retaineth  not  His  anger  for 
ever]  Comp.  Exod.  xxxii.  6. 

because  He  delighteth  in  loving- 
kindness}  Comp.  Ezek.  xviii.  23  ; 
Ps.  cxxx.  In  our  Book  of  Prayer 
(Closing  Prayer  of  the  Day  of 
Atonement):  For  Thou  delightest 
not  in  the  destruction  of  the  world, 
but  art  a  God  of  forgiveness, 
gracious  and  compassionate ,  long- 
suffering,  plentiful  in  loving- 
kindness,  and  abundant  in  doing 
good  (Singer's  Prayer  Book, 
p.  268). 

19.  He  will  again  have  com- 
passion upon  us}  Comp.  Hosea 
xiv.  5  ft. 

He  will  subdue  our  iniquities'} 
Thus  they  shall  have  no  power 
over  us  (Ibn  Ezra).  Others 
render:  suppress  (Kimhi),  or: 
tread  underfoot,  i.e.  destroy. 

Thoti  wilt  cast~\  Hence  the 
custom  on  the  afternoon  of  the 
New  Year  to  gather  beside  a 
river  (near  which  the  synagogues 
in  ancient  times  were  usually  situ- 


ated ;  see  Schurer,  History  of  the 
Jewish  People,  Second  Division, 
II,  p.  69  f. )  and  to  pray  for  for- 
giveness of  sins  while  reciting 
our  passage  (  Tashlik,  the  Hebrew 
for  Thou  wilt  cast ;  see  Singer's 
Prayer  Book,  p.  254).  The  custom 
is  first  mentioned  by  Jacob  Molin 
(died  in  Worms  in  1427). 

their~\  The  Greek  Version :  our. 

into  the  depths  of  the  sea] 
Whence  they  may  not  come  up 
again. 

20.  Thou  wilt  show,  &c.] 
"Faithfulness"  and  "mercy"  are 
frequently  associated  as  attributes 
of  the  Lord  indicating  His  firm- 
ness, reliableness,  and  kindness 
in  His  dealings  with  men  (comp. 
Gen.  xxiv.  27,  and  elsewhere). 
The  Lord  is  a  God  of  truth 
(=  fidelity)  (Ps.  xxxi.  6  [5]),  as 
He  is  abundant  in  lovingkindness 
(Num.  xiv.  18,  and  elsewhere). 
His  faithfulness  and  lovingkind- 
ness endure  for  ever  (Ps.  cxvii. 
2,  and  elsewhere).  Jacob  and 


8o 


MICAH,  VII. 


[V.   20. 


Which  Thou  hast  sworn  unto  our  fathers  from  the  days 
of  old. 


Abraham  =  the  seed  of  Jacob  and 
Abraham. 

which  Thou  hast  sworn  unto 
our  fathers]  Gen.  xxii.  16;  xxviii. 
13  f.  Comp.  Ps.  cv.  8-1 1,  42. 


The  last  three  verses  are  joined 
to  the  Book  of  Jonah  in  the  Lesson 
(Haftarah)  on  the  afternoon  of 
the  Day  of  Atonement. 


ADDITIONAL  NOTES 
I 

Oni.  5 
THE  HIGH    PLACES 

Hebrew:  bamot,  singular:  bamah.  The  Torah  (Num.  xxxiii.  52) 
commands,  along  with  the  extermination  of  the  Canaanite  population 
upon  the  Israelitish  occupation  of  Palestine,  the  destruction  of  their 
bamot,  or,  in  the  language  of  Deuteronomy  (xii.  2),  "all  the  places 
wherein  they  served  their  gods,  upon  the  high  mountains,  and  upon 
the  hills,  and  under  every  leafy  tree,"  together  with  their  appurte- 
nances, as  altars,  sacred  pillars,  images,  and  the  like.  The  idolatrous 
and  impure  practices  of  the  Canaanites,  to  which  frequent  reference  is 
made  in  the  Torah  (Exod.  xxiii.  24,  and  elsewhere),  are  to  the  mind 
of  the  Lawgiver  a  constant  source  of  danger  (a  "snare"  ;  Exod.  xxiii. 
33,  and  elsewhere)  to  the  incoming  Israelites,  who  are  to  found  in 
Palestine  a  new  order  of  things  befitting  a  "  holy  nation  "  (Exod.  xix,  6, 
and  elsewhere)  ;  hence  the  repeated  injunctions  for  the  complete 
rooting  out  of  the  idolatrous  population  as  well  as  the  destruction 
of  their  sanctuaries.  The  Lawgiver,  however,  is  also  a  prophet. 
Although  the  entire  Law  which  he  is  setting  before  the  people  has  for 
its  aim  the  safeguarding  of  Israel's  vocation  as  a  holy  nation,  free 
from  the  impurities  and  immoralities  of  the  Egyptians  on  the  one  hand 
and  of  the  Canaanites  on  the  other,  he  anticipates  the  reality  which 
will  be  just  the  reverse  of  the  ideal  contemplated  by  him.  Israel  will 
be  seduced  into  the  unholy  practices  of  the  Canaanite  population  only 
partially  conquered  by  the  invaders  ;  the  long  road  of  apostasy  and 
the  inevitably  ensuing  divine  punishment  which  the  Lawgiver  would 
fain  spare  his  people,  will  have  to  be  traversed,  that  then  perchance, 
tried  through  loss  of  country  and  exile,  they  may  address  them- 
selves to  a  realization  of  the  Mosaic  ideal,  and  become  in  all  truth  the 
people  of  the  Lord,  who,  for  all  His  chastisements,  is  mindful  of  the 
ancient  covenant  with  the  fathers.  Such  is  the  outlook  in  the  prophetic 
portions  of  the  Torah  (Deut.  xxviii ;  Lev.  xxvi;  Deut.  iv.  25  ff.  ; 


82  ADDITIONAL  NOTES 

xxixf. ).  And  so  Israel  crossed  the  Jordan  and  succumbed  to  the 
allurements  of  a  superior  civilization  (Judges  ii.  22 ;  Hi.  i ).  The  impuri- 
ties of  the  Canaanite  religion  crept  into  such  a  sanctuary  as  that  of 
Shiloh  (I  Sam.  ii.  22),  where  a  Levitical  priesthood  ministered. 
Canaanite  sanctuaries  were  taken  over  with  all  their  idolatrous  appur- 
tenances (Judges  ix).  Even  where  the  rites  were  purer,  the  Canaanite 
custom  was  adopted,  and  sanctuaries  at  which  a  Samuel  and  a 
Solomon  offered  their  sacrifices  were  situated  upon  elevations,  and 
were  designated  in  Canaanite  fashion  as  "high  places,"  bamot  (I  Sam. 
ix ;  I  Kings  iii.  4).  Great  hopes  were  no  doubt  entertained  by  the  leaders 
upon  the  erection  of  the  Temple  of  Solomon.  But  those  hopes  were 
not  realized.  A  period  of  acute  foreign  influence  and  religious 
syncretism  set  in,  and,  though  some  of  the  pious  kings  of  Judah  did 
away  with  the  grosser  immoralities  and  impurities  introduced  by  their 
wicked  predecessors,  the  bamot  continued.  The  energies  of  Israel's 
leaders  were  directed  to  the  eradication  of  the  pernicious  Baal  cult  and 
the  other  idolatrous  cults.  It  was  truly  a  "special  dispensation" 
(nrtJ*  nxnn  ;  Sifre  on  Deut.  xii.  13),  a  mode  of  procedure  warranted 
by  the  special  conditions  obtaining  under  the  regime  of  Ahab,  that 
Elijah,  the  great  zealot-prophet,  sought  to  restore  the  demolished 
altars  of  the  Lord,  preferring  a  plurality  of  sanctuaries  devoted  to  the 
worship  of  the  Lord  of  Israel  to  the  temples  of  the  foreign  and  impure 
Baal  (I  Kings  xviii).  The  Mosaic  idea  of  the  single  sanctuary,  how- 
ever, was  resumed  with  vigor  by  the  prophets  of  the  Assyrian  period. 
Our  passage  is  weighty  testimony  to  this  fact.  Hezekiah  and,  with 
greater  thoroughness,  Josiah  (II  Kings  xvi.  3ff.;  xxiii),  set  about 
carrying  the  old  Mosaic  ideal  of  the  single  sanctuary  into  execution.  The 
bamot  were  removed,  and  the  Temple  cleansed  of  all  impurities. 
Their  efforts,  however,  were  neutralized  by  their  wicked  successors 
(ibid.,  32,  37;  xxiv.  9,  19).  When,  after  the  exile,  the  restoration 
came,  the  idea  of  the  single  sanctuary  had  become  definitively  real. 
Schismatics,  like  the  Samaritans  or  Onias,  may  have  disputed  the 
claims  of  Jerusalem  ;  but  no  one  questioned  the  law  of  the  single 
sanctuary  as  the  very  foundation  of  the  true  worship  of  the  Lord. 
Moreover,  the  Temple  of  Onias  was  situated  outside  of  Palestine. 
Similarly  the  Bamah  (Aram.  Agor]  of  Elephantine. 
See  on  the  whole  subject  Mishnah,  Zebahim  xiv.  4  ff. 


ADDITIONAL  NOTES  83 

II 
On  ii.  2  and  vi.  9  ff. 

THE    RICH    AND    THE    POOR 

Inequality  in  the  possession  of  wealth  is  presupposed  by  the  Law- 
giver (Deut.  xv.  ii  ;  contrast  verse  4,  which  is  merely  the  ideal  condi- 
tional on  the  people's  obedience  to  the  Law);  accordingly,  the  Law 
contains  a  number  of  provisions  having  for  their  purpose  the  mitiga- 
tion of  the  evils  arising  from  an  unequal  distribution  of  wealth,  as  well 
as  exhortations  addressed  to  the  conscience  of  the  wealthy.  The 
sacredness  of  property  is  categorically  proclaimed  in  the  Decalogue 
(Exod.  xx.  13) ;  theft  is  a  crime,  whether  committed  by  the  poor  or  by 
the  rich.  Nor  is  the  rich  man  alone  prone  to  unlawful  aggression  ; 
for  hunger  is  a  great  tempter  to  dishonesty  and  theft  ( Prov.  xxx.  9; 
comp.  ibid.,  vi.  30).  Nevertheless,  in  the  ordinary  course  of  life, 
crimes  against  property,  though  of  a  subtler  kind,  are  perpetrated 
rather  by  the  wealthy  classes.  The  Law  enjoins  honesty  in  trade 
(Lev.  xix.  35  f. ;  Deut.  xxv.  13  ff. )  and  the  scrupulous  administration 
of  justice  (Exod.  xxiii.  1-3;  6-8;  Deut.  xvi.  18-20).  The  removal  of 
landmarks  is  made  one  of  those  great  offences  against  which  the 
divine  curse  is  invoked  (Deut.  xxvii.  17;  comp.  xix.  14).  The  agra- 
rian laws  are  intended  to  prevent  violent  changes  in  the  tenure  of  land 
and  the  accumulation  of  large  estates  in  the  hands  of  the  few.  Thus 
the  jubilee  year  is  instituted  (Lev.  xxv.  8ff.).  The  land,  the  Law 
declares,  properly  belongs  to  the  Lord,  who  is  sole  landlord,  the 
Israelites  being  but  His  tenants.  The  land  may  therefore  not  be  sold 
in  perpetuity.  It  may  be  leased,  or  its  crops  may  be  sold.  For 
in  the  jubilee  year  the  land  returns  to  its  original  owner,  or,  to  use 
the  characteristic  language  of  the  Law,  the  Israelite  returns  to  his 
possession  and  to  his  family,  from  both  of  which  he  temporarily  became 
detached.  The  original  owner  may  reclaim  his  property  at  any  time 
he  chooses  by  refunding  to  the  buyer  the  value  of  the  crops  remaining 
until  the  jubilee.  When,  through  poverty,  he  is  not  in  a  position  to 
redeem  his  property  himself,  the  right  and  the  duty  of  reclaiming  it 
devolve  upon  his  nearest  kinsman.  The  poor  Israelite  cannot  be 
bought  as  a  slave  in  perpetuity.  Elsewhere,  the  limit  of  service  for 
the  Hebrew  slave  is  fixed  at  seven  years,  after  which  time  he  goes 


84  ADDITIONAL  NOTES 

free  (Exod.  xxi.  2  ff. ;  Deut.  xv.  12  ff. ).  Moreover,  the  care  of  the  de- 
pendent classes  is  repeatedly  enjoined  as  a  duty.  The  rich  Israelite 
should  manifest  his  gratitude  for  the  blessings  he  has  received  at  the 
hands  of  Providence  by  inviting  his  poorer  brethren,  especially  the 
stranger,  the  fatherless,  and  the  widow,  to  the  sacrificial  meals  ( Deut. 
xvi.  10  ff.,  14) ;  the  third  year's  tithe  (the  poor's  tithe,  as  the  rabbis 
call  it)  belongs  entirely  to  them  (ibid.  xv.  28  f.;  comp.  xxvi.  12  f. ) 
The  corners  of  the  field,  a  forgotten  sheaf,  and  the  gleanings  of  the 
vineyard  (nN£)l  nrDt?  Bp7)  are  equally  to  be  left  for  the  poor  (Lev. 
xix.  9  f.  ;  xxiii.  22  ;  Deut.  xxiv.  19-22).  The  proceeds  from  the  field 
which  lies  fallow  in  the  sabbatic  year  go  to  the  poor  (Exod.  xxiii.  n)  ; 
nor  are  debts  to  be  exacted  in  the  year  of  release  (Deut.  xv.  i  ff. ). 
Money  may  not  be  lent  on  interest  to  an  Israelite  (Exod.  xxii.  24 ;  Lev. 
xxv.  35  ff.  ;  Deut.  xxiii.  20) ;  nor  are  pledges  to  be  taken  except  on 
certain  conditions  (Exod.  xx.  25  f.  ;  Deut.  xxiv.  loff. )  The  wages  of  a 
hired  man  must  be  paid  the  same  day  (Lev.  xix.  13  ;  Deut.  xxiv.  14 f. ). 
Such  are  the  wise  and  humane  provisions  of  the  Law.  How  far  the 
specific  laws  of  an  agrarian  character  were  kept,  it  is  impossible  to 
ascertain.  That  the  institution  of  the  year  of  release  remained  an 
ideal,  we  may  gather  from  Lev.  xxvi.  34,  43 ;  according  to  the  Tal- 
mud ('Arakin  326)  the  jubilee  year  ceased  to  be  observed  with  the 
transportation  of  the  trans-Jordanic  tribes  by  the  King  'of  Assyria 
(referred  to  II  Chron.  v.  26).  We  hear  of  a  singular  case  of  encroach- 
ment on  the  part  of  the  wicked  King  Ahab  (I  Kings  xxi).  In  the  time 
of  Elisha,  a  poor  widow  complains  of  the  enslavement  of  her  two 
children  by  a  cruel  creditor  (II  Kings  iv.  i).  In  the  prophetic  litera- 
ture we  frequently  meet  with  complaints  about  the  rapacity  of  the 
rich  (Isa.  iii.  14  f.  ;  v.  8ff. ;  Jer.  v.  26  ff.  ;  xxii.  13  ff.  ;  Ezek.  xxii.  7,  29; 
Amos  ii.  6  ff. ;  iii.  9  f.  ;  iv.  i ;  v.  n  f. ;  viii.  4  ff.  ;  Mai.  iii.  5).  The 
rich,  in  order  to  indulge  their  appetites  for  all  kinds  of  luxury  (Amos 
vi.  4-6),  and  particularly  in  order  to  gratify  the  extravagant  desires  of 
their  wives  and  daughters  (ibid.,  iv.  i ;  Isa.  iii.  16-23),  are  unscrupulous 
as  landlords  (Isa.  v.  8)  and  merchants  (Hosea  xii.  8  f. ),  selling  such 
commodities  as  grain  at  their  own  prices  (Amos  viii.  5),  and  harsh  as 
creditors,  receiving  in  pledge  not  only  the  poor  man's  belongings, 
but  his  person  as  well  (Amos  ii.  8;  Jer.  xxxiv.  n;  comp.  II  Kings 
iv.  i).  The  picture  of  life  in  the  higher  circles  of  Samaria  and 


ADDITIONAL  NOTES  85 

Jerusalem,  as  presented  by  the  prophets,  may  perhaps  be  a  trifle 
overdrawn,  and  there  may  be  some  exaggeration  in  their  portrayal  of 
the  rapacity  and  dishonesty  of  the  rich  landlord  or  trader,  or  of  the 
venality  of  justice  ;  nor  is  the  prophetic  bent  of  mind  capable  of  con- 
doning the  inequalities  inherent  in  all  civilization.  But  it  is  this  very 
one-sidedness  that  made  of  the  prophets  "tribunes  of  the  people," 
and  their  sympathy  with  those  that  are  crushed  in  the  battle  of  Hie  was 
bequeathed  to  all  posterity.  In  the  Psalms,  the  poor  are  at  the  same 
time  the  humble  and  the  pious,  and  rich  is  almost  synonymous  with 
tyrannical  (f""1^)  and  wicked  (yw~^).  In  the  Wisdom  books  (among 
which  maybe  reckoned  the  apocryphal  Sirach),  poverty  and  wealth  are 
made  the  subject  of  many  a  sententious  utterance.  Not  that  poverty  is 
pronounced  a  virtue,  for  the  wise  man  knows  how  often  it  follows  in 
the  wake  of  sloth  (Prov.  vi.  n),  nor,  on  the  other  hand,  is  it  deemed  a 
vice.  Poverty  and  wealth  are  accepted  as  realities.  The  gulf  between 
the  rich  and  the  poor  could  not  be  portrayed  more  strikingly  than  by 
Sirach  in  the  famous  saying  -.  ' '  What  fellowship  shall  wolf  have  with 
lamb  ?  Such  is  the  wicked  unto  the  righteous  :  and  so  is  the  rich  unto 
a  man  that  is  destitute"  (xiii.  17  f. ).  (SeeSchechter,  "Jewish  Life  in 
the  Time  of  Ben  Sira,"  in  Studies  in  Judaism,  Second  Series,  1908, 
77  ff. )  But  no  matter  what  the  reality  may  be,  religion  demands  the 
equality  of  poor  and  rich  before  God,  who  is  the  Maker  of  both  ( Prov. 
xxii.  2 ;  comp.  xiv.  31 ).  Poverty  is  to  be  accepted  as  a  discipline 
(Sirach  ii.  5),  and  the  hope  of  a  better  future  must  never  be  given  up 
(ibid.,  4,  6).  The  wealth  of  the  rich  is  often  ill-gotten  and  hastily 
acquired  (Prov.  xiii.  n  ;  xvi.  8;  xx.  21 ;  xxviii.  22);  the  rich  live  in 
constant  dread  of  losing  their  wealth,  frightened  by  the  phantoms 
which  a  guilty  conscience  conjures  up  (Job  xv.  20  ff. ) ;  when  they  die, 
they  must  leave  their  wealth  behind  them,  it  does  not  descend  after 
them  (Ps.  xlix.  7  ff. ).  A  frugal  meal  in  peace  and  love  is  to  be  pre- 
ferred to  sumptuous  banquets  full  of  strife  and  hatred  (Prov.  xv.  16  f.; 
xvii.  i) ;  and  a  good  name  is  better  than  great  riches  (ibid.,  xxii.  i). 
With  the  Scriptural  estimate  of  wealth  goes  the  well-known  rabbinic 
saying  :  He  is  rich  who  is  content  with  his  lot  (Abot  iv.  i).  Wealth 
should  be  put  to  rightful  use  :  he  is  rich  who  truly  enjoys  his  wealth 
(whether  great  or  small;  Shabbat  25  £).  Of  Israel  as  a  whole,  how- 
ever, it  is  said  that  poverty  is  most  comely  to  it  (Hagigah  96).  While 


86  ADDITIONAL  NOTES 

strictest  impartiality  in  the  administration  of  justice  is  insisted  on, 
.  charity  to  the  poor  in  deed  and  word  and  personal  service  is  made  a 
chief  virtue,  and  "righteousness"  (ripl^)  is  synonymous  with  alms- 
giving. The  liberality  of  individuals  should,  however,  not  go  beyond 
due  limits ;  and  no  man  should  give  away  more  than  one-fifth  of  his 
wealth  (Ketubot  50  a).  Above  all,  the  rabbis  enjoin  scrupulous  com- 
mercial honesty.  "They  who  withdraw  products  from  the  market,  or 
raise  prices  arbitrarily,  and  they  who  tamper  with  measures,  and  they 
who  lend  money  on  interest,  of  them  it  is  said  (Amos  viii.  7) :  The 
Lord  sweareth  by  the  pride  of  Jacob,  surely  I  will  never  forget  any  of 
their  works"  (Derek  eres  rabba  ii. ;  Baba  batra  90  £;  Abot  de-rabbi 
Nathan,  ed.  Schechter,  p.  86).  The  punishment  for  falsifying  measures 
transcends  that  for  incest"  (Baba  batra  88  b).  "Wronging  one's 
neighbor"  (comp.  Lev.  xxv.  14),  according  to  the  rabbis,  refers  not 
merely  to  monetary  frauds,  but  also  to  vexing  a  person  by  word  of 
mouth,  as,  for  instance,  when  a  repentant  sinner  is  reminded  of  his 
former  life,  or  a  proselyte  of  his  pagan  antecedents,  or  when  one  sets 
his  eye  upon  buying  anything  when  he  has  no  money  ;  for  touching  all 
matters  which  are  given  over  to  the  heart,  Scripture  says  (ibid.,  17), 
Thou  shalt  fear  thy  God  (Baba  mesi'a  58 b). 

Ill 
On  ii.  3,  5 

THE  TERMS    BY    WHICH    ISRAEL    IS    DESIGNATED    IN    BIBLICAL 
AND    POST-BIBLICAL    LITERATURE 

The  subject  is  a  vast  one  and  requires  special  treatment  in  a  mono- 
graph. It  will  suffice  here  to  specify  the  appellations  and  define 
them  as  nearly  as  we  may.  In  Scripture,  we  are  designated  as  ^nation 
pj,  lOvog),  or  people  (Dtf,  D&6,  /adr),  or  race  (German  Stamm,  nnsfc?D, 
<t>v%q).  The  last  term  clearly  indicates  blood-relationship,  which  is 
also  implied  in  the  term  seed  (1PT,  yivog}.  We  are  members  of  one 
people  and  race,  "IHN  DP  ^2  (oftotdvelc)  and  nns  nns'^D  *32  (O/^O^M). 
The  prevailing  term  in  Talmudic  and  post-Talmudic  literature  is  HDIS, 
which,  though  synonymous  with  DI7,  is  inclusive  of  our  character  as  a 
religious  body.  The  Talmudic  term  btf'ltJ"  flD33,  which  corresponds 


ADDITIONAL  NOTES  87 

to  EK/cAjyff/a,  is  a  solemn  term  denoting  us  chiefly  on  our  religious  side ; 
it  replaced  the  Biblical  "congregation"  (H/TIp,  ?np,  Iwc/b/cr/a ;  HIV, 
cwayuyT]},  which  designates  in  the  first  place  the  people  assembled  for 
communal  or  national  endeavor,  war  included,  in  other  words  as  an 
organized  body,  but  also  simply  the  nation  considered  as  forming  a 
unit  of  cultural  ( religious )  effort.  Membership  in  the  ' '  congregation  " 
implies  among  other  privileges  the  right  of  connubium.  It  is  every 
Israelite's  by  birth.  Certain  persons,  however,  specified  in  Deut. 
xxiii.  2  f.(  are  excluded.  With  the  exception  of  the  Canaanites,  who 
must  be  exterminated  (ibid.,  vii.  2  f . ),  the  Ammonites  and  Moabites, 
and  the  Egyptians  and  Edomites  in  the  first  two  generations  (ibid., 
xxiii.  4-9),  admission  to  the  "congregation"  is  apparently  open  to 
the  " stranger  "  (13).  In  a  religious  sense,  at  all  events,  the  "stranger," 
after  submitting  to  the  rite  of  initiation,  is  certainly  considered  as  a 
member  of  the  "congregation",  on  an  equal  footing  with  the  "native" 
(Num.  xv.  15;  comp.,  however,  Kiddushin  73 b).  Thus  the  Torah 
provides  for  the  integration  of  outsiders  into  our  national  and  reli- 
gious organism. 

IV 
On  v.  i 

THE    PRE-EXISTENT    MESSIAH 

According  to  a  Baraita  (Pesahim  54«;  Nedarim39£),  the  "name 
of  the  Messiah  "  is  one  of  the  seven  things  made  before  the  creation  of 
the  world.  The  rabbis  find  Scriptural  confirmation  thereof  in  the 
word  of  the  Psalmist  (Ps.  Ixxii.  13),  which  in  their  rendering  (comp. 
the  Greek  Version)  reads  :  Before  the  sun  his  name  was  established. 
Similarly  it  is  said  in  the  Book  of  Enoch  (xlviii.  3)  :  "Before  the  sun 
and  the  signs  (of  \he  Zodiac)  were  created,  before  the  stars  of  the  heaven 
were  made,  his  name  was  named  before  the  Lord  of  spirits  "  (comp. 
Dan.  vii.  13  ;  IV  Ezra  xii.  32 ;  xiii.  26,  52).  The  pre-existent  "name  " 
is  equivalent  to  a  transcendent  figure  ;  the  Messiah,  though  appearing 
on  the  scene  of  history  at  a  definite  period,  is  really  in  existence  long 
before  his  mundane  career  begins.  (According  to  Klausner,  Die 
messianischen  Vorstelhtngen  des  judischen  Volkes  im  Zeitalter  der 
Tannaiten,  1903,  p.  66,  the  "name"  indicates  merely  the  "idea"; 


88  ADDITIONAL  NOTES 

similarly  Friedmann,  in  his  Introduction  to  Seder  Elijahti,  p.  114.) 
Thus,  no  matter  what  may  delay  his  coming,  he  must  come,  for  he 
has  been  in  the  world  since  its  beginning.  The  author  of  the  Simili- 
tudes in  the  Book  of  Enoch  places  him  in  heaven  with  God,  "under 
the  wings  of  the  Lord  of  spirits"  (xxxvii.  7;  in  the  language  of  the 
rabbis  [Pesikta  rabbeti,  p.  161  b~\,  "hidden  under  the  throne  of 
God"),  at  the  head  of  "the  righteous  and  elect,  beautifully  resplendent 
as  lights  of  fire,"  among  them  "the  first  fathers  who  from  the  begin- 
ning dwell  in  that  place"  (Ixx.  4).  The  Messiah  is  accordingly  the 
celestial  first  man.  The  celestial  first  man  is  ultimately  a  mytho- 
logical figure.  While  the  sacred  writers  are  acquainted  with  the 
old  mythologies  and  frequently  borrow  poetic  images  from  them,  the 
Biblical  books  accepted  by  the  Synagogue  as  canonical  character- 
istically divest  the  received  figures  of  their  mythological  coloring 
by  investing  them  with  ethical  significance  and  frequently  by 
combining  them  with  historical  persons  in  Israel  or  with  the  nation 
itself.  It  was  reserved  for  the  literature  of  a  later  day  (the 
apocalyptic,  which  was  kept  out  of  the  canon;  the  Haggadah 
always  subordinated  to  the  Halakah)  to  re-introduce  the  ancient 
mythological  figures  which  the  folk-religion  had  not  discarded, 
bequeathing  them  to  the  new  religion  as  its  fundamental  element. 
Such  is  the  Pauline  Son  of  God,  "  the  image  of  the  invisible  God,  the 
first-born  of  all  creation"  (Colossians  i.  15),  the  "heavenly  man" 
(I.  Corinthians  xv.  48),  who  in  the  person  of  Jesus  was  sent  into 
the  world  "in  the  likeness  of  sinful  flesh  "  (Romans  viii.  3),  "empty- 
ing and  humbling  himself,  becoming  obedient  even  unto  death " 
(Philippians  ii.  yf.),  then  proving  himself  heavenly  by  conquering 
death,  a  second  and  worthier  Adam,  bringing  the  world  not  sin  and 
death,  but  the  deliverance  therefrom,  reigning  until  all  things  shall 
have  been  subjected  to  him,  that  then  the  Son  also  shall  "himself  be 
subjected  to  Him  that  did  subject  all  things  unto  him,  that  God  may 
be  all  in  all"  (I  Corinthians  xv).  In  the  sequel,  the  pre-existent 
celestial  Man  of  Oriental  mythology  became  the  pre-existent  and 
eternal  Word,  the  Logos,  or  Reason,  of  Neo-Platonism,  which 
"  was  in  the  beginning  with  God,  and  became  flesh  in  Jesus  Christ, 
the  only  begotten  Son"  (  John  i).  Our  Book  of  Prayer,  on  lines  truly 
Scriptural,  emphasizes  the  national  character  of  the  Messiah,  though 


ADDITIONAL  NOTES 


the  ethico-religious  implications  are  not  forgotten ;  nay,  the  person  of 
the  Messiah  is  more  or  less  kept  in  the  background,  and  the  heart  of  the 
Jew,  as  he  prays  for  national  restoration,  the  gathering  of  the  dispersed, 
and  the  rebuilding  of  Zion,  centres  in  the  advent  of  the  Kingdom  of 
God  for  a  humanity  integrated  into  Israel,  banded  together  to  do 
God's  will  with  a  perfect  heart,  with  Zion  as  the  spiritual  centre  of 
the  world  (see  Singer's  Prayer  Book,  p.  239). 

V 
On  v.  4 

THE  COMPANIONS    OF    THE   MESSIAH 

The  Talmud  (Sukkah  52  b)  specifies  the  seven  shepherds  as  Adam, 
Seth,  and  Methuselah  (another  reading:  Seth,  Enoch,  and  Methuselah) 
on  the  right,  and  Abraham,  Jacob,  and  Moses  on  the  left,  with  David  in 
the  centre ;  and  the  eight  princes  as  Jesse,  Saul,  Samuel,  Amos, 
Zephaniah,  Zedekiah  (another  reading:  Hezekiah),  Elijah,  and  the 
Messiah.  (Num.  rabba,  ch.  xiv,  records  a  difference  of  opinion 
concerning  the  number  of  "anointed  persons,"  DVHE5>ID,  xp'a~°'L,  as 
Symmachus  has  it  here;  according  to  some,  it  amounts  to  seven,  while 
others  bring  it  up  to  eight.  See  also  Pesikta  rabbeti,  p.  75  a. )  Rashi 
confesses  his  ignorance  of  the  source  of  this  Haggadic  list  of  names  or 
the  principle  of  selection.  Perhaps  more  than  one  principle  under- 
lies it.  The  Messiah  requires  no  explanation.  David  is  frequently 
spoken  of  as  the  future  ruler  (Hosea  iii.  5,  and  elsewhere);  moreover, 
he  bears  the  Messianic  title  ("the  Lord's  Anointed,"  II  Sam.  xix.  22, 
and  elsewhere).  The  same  title  is  given  to  Saul  (I  Sam.  xxiv.  7); 
also  in  Lam.  iv.  20  to  one  of  the  last  kings  of  Judah,  whom  some  (Ibn 
Ezra)  identify  with  Zedekiah,  while  others  (Targum)  think  of  Josiah. 
Enoch  and  Elijah  were  translated  to  heaven  ( Gen.  v.  24 ;  II  Kings  ii.  n ), 
entering  paradise  while  alive  (Derek  eres  zutta  i.  14),  without  having 
tasted  death  (Gen.  rabba,  ch.  xxi);  and  Moses  died  by  the  kiss  of 
the  Lord  (Deut.  rabba,  ch.  xi).  Similarly  it  is  said  of  Jacob  that  he 
did  not  suffer  death  (Taanit  5^).  Of  Abraham  we  read  (Testament 
of  Abraham  xvi  f.)  that  (the  angel  of)  death  presented  himself  to  him 
in  beautiful  form  and  with  a  crown  upon  his  head,  and  the  "bosom  of 


90  ADDITIONAL  NOTES 

Abraham  "  is  the  place  to  which  the  righteous  are  carried  upon  their 
death  (Kiddushin  72  6;  comp.  Luke  xvi.  22).  Adam,  Seth,  and 
Methuselah  represent  the  righteous  patriarchs  of  the  antediluvian 
period.  Jesse  is  the  father  of  David  ;  moreover,  the  rabbis  tell 
of  him  that  he  was  sinless  at  the  time  of  his  death,  thus  meriting 
the  latter  only  in  consequence  of  the  universal  fall  of  man 
(Shabbat  55  b).  Samuel  is  the  prophet  who  anointed  David 
(I  Sam.  xvi).  I  can  find  no  reason  why  Amos  and  Zephaniah  should 
be  singled  out  from  among  all  the  "literary  "  prophets.  Hezekiah  is  a 
would-be  Messiah  (Sanhedrin  940;  comp.  Berakot  28  b}.  Elijah  is 
frequently  mentioned  as  the  forerunner  of  the  Messiah  (see  Fried- 
mann's  Introduction  to  his  Edition  of  Seder  Elijahu,  p.  8  ff. ) ;  according 
to  Deut.  rabba,  ch.  iii,  and  the.  Fragmentary  Targum,  Exod.  xii.  42, 
he  will  be  accompanied  by  Moses.  In  the  story  of  the  transfiguration 
(Mark  ix.  2  ff.),  Jesus  is  surrounded  by  Moses  and  Elijah,  the  com- 
panions of  the  Messiah.  In  all  probability,  back  of  the  "seven" 
"anointed  persons"  (or  "eight,"  if  the  Messiah  himself  be 
counted)  are  mythological  conceptions  concerning  the  seven  planets 
or  archangels  (see  Zimmern,  Die  Keilinschriften  und  das  Alte  Testa- 
ment, 1903,  p.  620  ff. ),  another  example  of  mythological  matter 
which  has  been  nationalized,  i.  e.  combined  with  the  hopes  of  the 
nation. 

VI 
On  vi.  6  ff. 

THE  PROPHETIC  ESTIMATES  OF  THE  SACRIFICIAL  CULT 

Prophetic  estimates  of  the  sacrificial  cult  and  of  ritualism  as  an  in- 
ferior mode  of  worship  occur  in  Amosv.  21  ff.;  Hosea  vi.  6,  comp. 
viii.  13;  Isa.  i.  n  ff. ;  Jer.  vii.  21  ff. ;  comp.  I  Sam.  xv.  22;  Isa. 
Iviii.  5  ff. ;  Zech.  vii.  5  ff . ;  viii.  16  ff.  Indifference  to  the  sacrificial  cult 
is  met  with  in  the  Psalms  (xl.  76°.;  li.  i8f. ),  and  in  the  Haggadic 
utterances  of  the  rabbis.  To  quote  but  one :  "They  asked  Wisdom, 
What  is  the  consequence  of  sin  ?  It  answered,  Evil  pursueth  sinners 
(Prov.  xiii.  21).  Prophecy  answered  :  The  soul  that  sinneth,  it  shall 
die  (Ezek.  xviii.  4).  The  To  rah  answered :  Let  him  bring  a  guilt- 
offering  and  it  shall  be  forgiven  him.  God  answered  :  Let  him  repent 


ADDITIONAL  NOTES  91 

and  it  shall  be  forgiven  him,  for  thus  it  is  written :  '  Good  and  upright 
is  the  Lord  ;  therefore  will  he  teach  sinners  in  the  way  (of  repentance)' 
(Ps.  xxv.  8)"  (Palestinian  Talmud,  Makkot  31  d).  As  a  summary  of 
man's  duty  to  God,  Micah  vi.  8  is  certainly  classic;  as  such  it  is  recog- 
nized by  the  Haggadist  Simlai,  according  to  whom,  however,  "Keep 
justice,  and  do  righteousness"  (Isa.  Ivi.  i)  and  "The  just  shall  live  by 
his  faith"  (Hab.  ii.  4)  are  still  shorter  compendia  (Makkot  24  a). 
Neither  Simlai,  however,  nor  any  of  the  prophets  desired  the  abroga- 
tion of  the  Torah.  AndtheTorah  itself  contains  just  such  compendious 
summaries  which,  with  fine  literary-  insight,  Steinthal  (Zur  Bibel,  II 
[1895],  p.  145  f.)  pronounces  much  superior  in  diction  and  tone.  The 
prophet  is  too  much  the  ecstatic  mouthpiece  of  the  Deity,  too  much 
carried  away  by  the  impulse  of  the  moment,  to  be  truly  artistic.  The 
Deuteronomic  orator  is  quite  different:  "he  is  general;  he  has  no 
specific  period  in  view,  but  all  periods;  he  speaks  for  eternity  ".  And 
so  he  addresses  Israel :  "  What  doth  the  Lord  thy  God  require  of  thee, 
but  to  fear  the  Lord  thy  God,  to  walk  in  all  His  ways,  and  to  love 
Him,  and  to  serve  the  Lord  thy  God  with  all  thy  heart  and  with  all 
thy  soul,  to  keep  the  commandments  of  the  Lord,  and  His  statutes, 
which  I  am  commanding  thee  this  day  for  thy  good?"  (Deut.  x.  12). 
According  to  Maimuni  (Guide  of  the  Perplexed,  III,  ch.  xxii), 
the  sacrificial  cult  was  ordained  by  Moses  as  an  accommodation  to 
the  unspiritual  conceptions  of  the  people  and  for  the  purpose  of  wean- 
ing them  away  from  the  idolatrous  rites  of  their  neighbors.  By  a 
circuitous  road,  the  people  were  thus  to  be  led  slowly  and  gradually 
up  to  a  perception  of  the  right  kind  of  service,  which  is  spiritual. 
Although  attacked  by  Nahmani  (Commentary  on  Lev.  i.  9),  Mai- 
muni's  explanation  is  defended  by  Abrabanel  (Introduction  to  his 
Commentary  on  Leviticus),  who  finds  support  for  that  view  in  a  sig- 
nificant passage  in  the  Midrash  (Lev.  rabba,  ch.  xxii).  "Rabbi 
Phinehas  in  the  name  of  Rabbi  Levi  said,"  we  read  there,  "It  is  like  a 
prince  whose  appetite  was  gross,  and  he  was  wont  to  eat  of  the  meat 
of  animals  that  had  died  of  themselves,  or  that  had  been  torn  by 
beasts.  So  the  king  said,  Let  him  eat  constantly  at  my  table,  and  he 
will  wean  himself  from  that  habit.  So  it  was  with  the  Israelites  who 
were  engrossed  in  Egyptian  idolatry,  and  were  wont  to  offer  their 
sacrifices  on  the  high  places  to  the  demons,  and  punishments  used  to 


92  ADDITIONAL  NOTES 

come  upon  them  ;  so  the  Holy  One,  blessed  be  He,  said,  Let  them 
offer  their  sacrifices  before  Me  at  all  times,  in  the  Tabernacle,  and 
they  will  be  weaned  from  idolatry,  and  thus  be  saved."  It  goes  with- 
out saying  that,  notwithstanding  such  views,  the  rabbis  did  not  cease 
to  look  forward  to  a  restoration  of  the  sacrificial  cult  in  the  Mes- 
sianic times. 

VII 
On  vi.  7 

HUMAN    SACRIFICES 

The  custom  of  child  sacrifice  in  antiquity  is  met  with  in  many  parts 
of  the  world ;  but  nowhere  among  civilized  nations  was  it  as  estab- 
lished a  part  of  the  public  religion  as  among  the  Phoenicians,  and 
especially  the  Carthaginians.  The  author  of  the  Book  of  Kings 
reports  that  Ahaz  "  offered  his  son  by  fire"  (II  Kings  xvi.  3) ;  similarly 
of  Manasseh  (ibid.,  xxi.  6).  Jeremiah  and  Ezekiel  allude  to  the  prac- 
tice in  their  days  (Jer.  vii.  31;  xix.  5  ff. ;  xxxii.  35 ;  comp.  iii.  24  ;  Ezek. 
xvi.  20  f.,  36;  xx.  26,  31 ;  xxiii.  37,  39).  According  to  the  testimony 
of  the  former,  the  scene  of  the  child  sacrifices  was  the  Tophet  in  the 
valley  of  Ben  Hinnom  outside  of  Jerusalem,  not  far  from  the  Temple. 
The  children  were  slain  and  then  offered  as  burnt-offerings  (Ezek. 
xvi.  20 f.,  36;  xxiii.  39;  Jer.  xix.  5;  see  Nahmani  on  Lev.  xviii.  21). 
It  is  also  clear  from  several  of  the  Biblical  references  that  the  sacrifices 
were  offered  to  the  Lord  under  the  aspect  of  King  ( Melek  =  Molek ;  the 
latter  is  a  conscious  mispronunciation  for  the  purpose  of  suggesting 
Bosket,  "Shame"),  although  the  practice  was  introduced  in  Israel 
from  abroad.  Jeremiah  (vii.  31,  and  elsewhere)  vehemently  protests 
against  the  idea  that  such  sacrifices  were  ordered  by  the  Lord ;  and 
Ezekiel  (xx.  29  f.)  declares  that,  inasmuch  as  the  people  disobeyed 
the  Lord's  commandments  "by  which,  if  a  man  do  them,  he  will  live" 
(the  phrase  is  borrowed  from  Lev.  xviii.  5),  He  implanted  in  them 
the  pernicious  idea  that  He  desired  such  sacrifices,  thus  defiling  them 
by  their  very  gifts  to  the  Lord  and  preparing  their  destruction  (so,  cor- 
rectly, the  Targum).  (On  Lev.  xxvii.  29,  see  Dillmann's  Commentary. ) 
In  the  form  of  a  story,  Gen.  xxii  conveys  the  lesson  that,  although  the 
motive  which  prompts  the  sacrifice  of  one's  dearest  child  has  a  religious 


ADDITIONAL  NOTES  93 

basis  in  obedience  to  the  Lord,  such  sacrifices  are  not  desired  by  Him. 
While,  however,  the  denouement  of  that  didactic  story  is  not  quite  sat- 
isfactory with  its  accommodation  to  the  popular  need  of  tangible  devo- 
tion by  means  of  animal  sacrifices  (a  "ram"  is  substituted  for  the  child; 
Cheyne,  article  Isaac  in  Encyclopedia  Biblica,  aptly  compares  it  with 
the  accommodation  to  popular  standards  in  the  epilogue  of  the  Book  of 
Job),  our  passage  rises  to  a  higher  view  by  proclaiming  that  even 
"rams"  are  not  demanded  by  the  Lord.  Child  sacrifices  are  men- 
tioned in  the  Bible  in  two  other  places  (the  son  of  Mesha,  II  Kings 
iii.  27,  the  vow  of  Jephthah,  Judges  xi).  The  rabbis,  in  commenting  on 
Jer.  xix.  5,  maintain  that  neither  the  sacrifice  of  the  son  of  Mesha,  nor 
that  of  the  daughter  of  Jephthah,  nor  that  of  Isaac,  was  commanded 
by  the  Lord  (Ta'anit  40). 

VIII 

On  vii.  15 
THE  PASSOVER  WHICH  IS  TO  COME 

The  future,  Messianic,  redemption  is  frequently  likened  to  the  first, 
and  the  latter  exodus  from  the  exile  to  the  former  exodus  from  Egypt 
(comp.  Isa.  xi.  15  f.  [ch.  xii  corresponds  to  Exod.  xv]  ;  Jer. 
xxiii.  7  f. ).  The  rabbis  frequently  liken  the  last  redeemer  (the 
Messiah)  to  the  first  (Moses)  (Pesikta  rabbeti,  p.  72  b  ;  Cant,  rabba  on 
Cant.  ii.  9,  and  parallel  passages),  and  place  the  latter  redemption  in 
Nisan,  the  month  of  the  former  redemption  (Exod.  rabba,  ch.  xv). 
In  our  Book  of  Prayer,  no  less  than  in  the  Midrashic  literature,  the 
emotions  of  Israel  oscillate  between  the  memory  of  the  glorious 
beginning  of  our  national  life  and  the  hope  in  the  still  more 
glorious  future.  Hence,  after  the  recital  of  the  marvellous  redemp- 
tion from  Egypt,  the  prayer:  "O  Rock  of  Israel,  arise  as  Helper 
of  Israel,  and  redeem  according  to  Thy  word  Judah  and  Israel ; 
Thy  name  of  old  is  our  redeemer,  Lord  of  hosts,  Holy  One  of  Israel. 
Blessed  be  Thou,  O  Redeemer  of  Israel"  (Singer's  Prayer  Book, 
p.  44).  According  to  the  Mekilta  (on  Exod.  xv.  i),  the  "new  song" 
(Isa.  xlii.  10)  is  the  song  of  final  triumph  in  the  Passover  which  is  to 
come,  corresponding  to  the  song  of  Moses  at  the  Passover  of  Egypt. 


94  ADDITIONAL  NOTES 

Hence  the  prayer  in  the  Passover  Haggadah  (antedating  the 
Mishnah,  Pesahim  x.  6 ;  comp.  Mahzor  Vitry,  p.  296) :  "Blessed  be 
Thou,  O  Lord  our  God,  King  of  the  world,  who  hast  redeemed  us 
and  our  fathers  from  Egypt,  and  hast  caused  us  to  reach  this  night,  to 
eat  thereon  unleavened  bread  and  bitter  herbs  ;  so  mayest  Thou,  O 
Lord  our  God,  cause  us  to  reach  other  seasons  and  festivals  which 
are  before  us  in  peace,  rejoicing  in  the  rebuilding  of  Thy  city  and  glad  of 
Thy  service,  that  we  may  eat  there  of  the  paschal  sacrifice  and  of  the 
other  offerings,  when  the  blood  thereof  will  touch  the  wall  of  Thine  altar, 
that  we  may  be  accepted  before  Thee  ;  and  that  we  may  then  praise 
Thee,  O  Lord  our  God  and  God  of  our  fathers,  with  a  new  song  for  our 
redemption  and  the  deliverance  of  our  souls.  Blessed  be  Thou,  O 
Lord,  Redeemer  of  Israel."  The  paitanic  insertions  in  the  Evening 
Prayer  of  the  last  day  of  Passover  (Mahzor  Vitry,  p.  573  f. )  are  built 
on  the  motive  that  the  Passover  of  Egypt  (D^XD  DDD)  will  be  paralleled 
by  the  Passover  which  is  to  come  (TIW  HD3).  Against  Ben  Zoma, 
who,  on  the  basis  of  Jer.  xxiii.  7  f.,  maintains  that  the  Egyptian  exodus 
will  be  so  far  transcended  by  the  latter  that  the  former  will  no  longer 
be  mentioned,  the  doctors  in  the  Mishnah  are  of  the  opinion  that  the 
former  exodus  will  still  be  a  secondary  theme  when  the  latter  will  be 
the  main  subject  of  Israel's  praises  (Berakot  i.  5;  Talmud,  12  b  f. ). 
Thus  the  historic  continuity  of  Israel  is  assured  even  for  the  glorious 
time  of  the  final  restoration. 


INDEX  TO  REFERENCES  TO  THE  SCRIPTURES 
AND  OTHER  ANCIENT  WRITINGS 


a.  THE  HOLY  SCRIPTURES 


GENESIS                          PAGE  LEVITICUS — Cont'd      PAGE 

iii.    14 78  ii;  iii;  iv;  v;  vi.  1-6; 

v.    22 65  vi.     i7-vii.    6;    vii. 

v.    24 89            1 1-34    62 

x.    8  ff 55       x.   i  o  f 40 

xxii 92        xiii.  45 39 

xxii.   16 80        xiv.    10  ff 62 

xxiv.  27 79        xvjjj-   5 64  [2},  92 

xxviii.    13  f 80        xvjii.    2I 63,  92 

xxviii.  22 57        xyiii.  2 5  ff 33 

xxxi.  45,  51  f 57        xix.   9  f 84 

xxxv.    16  ff 52        xix.    13 84 

xxxv.  21 48        xix.    35  f 83 

xxxviii.    5 26        xx.   2-5 63 

xlix.   i 43        xxi.  6 62 

xlix.  24 77       xxiii.  22 84 

xxv.   8  ff 83 


DEUTER.  —  Cont'd 


X.     12 
X.     12 


xi.  9 
xi.    13 
i.   31 


x  ii.  6 

xv.   i 

xv.    i  ff 


XV.    12  ff 

XV.    28  f 

xvj.   10  ff.,   14 

xvi.    18-20 


EXODUS 

ii .   14  ff 60 

x  ii.  2 62,  63 

x  ii.   12 63 

x  ii.    13,   15 63  [2} 

xv.  3 71 

xv 93 

xv.   i,  20 60 

xv.   ii 78    NUMBERS 

xv.   17 77       vi.    26. 

xvj.  25,  30 49        xii.    ... 

xvi.  35 61       xii.  3.  . 

xix.  6 81        xiv.   18 

xx.    13 83       xv.    15. 

xx.    17 28       xxi.  27 

xx.  25  f 84       xxij.   6. 

xxi.   2  ff 84       xxij.   7 


xxv.    14 86 

xxv.   17 86 

xxv.   35  ff 84 

xx  vi 81 

xxvi.  26 67 

xxvi.   34,  43 84 

xxvii.  29 92 


xvi.  21  f .  .  . 
xvij.  8  ff.  .  , 
xvij.  1 6  f  . . 
xviii.  9  ff  .  . 
xyiii.  10... 
xix.  14 


xxii.  8 45  xx 

xxii.  24 32,  84  xx 

xxi  .  2;  f 32  xx 

83  xx 


xxi 
xxi 


36 

60 

65 

79 

87 

28 

60 

...   .    a          38 

11.   7  ff 60 

ii.   18  ff 60 

v.   3  ff 60 


i.  6-8 83 


i.   ii 84 

i.    24 57,  81 


v.    14 


v.    15  ff 

V.    21 

•j-   33-36 


43 
60 
59 
3" 


xxiv.  4 
xxiv.  7 
xxxii.  4. 


xxxii    6  ff 78 

xxxiv.  13 58 

LEVITICUS 
i;  i-  3.  5 
i.  9 


XX 
XX 
XX 

i        xxxiii.  52 

57   DEUTERONOMY 

31        iv.   20 

iv.  25  ff 81 

jv.   30 43 

iv.   43 34 

Vlj.     2  f 87 

62       vij.   2,  25  f 51 

91        vii.  8 60 


77 


xx.  16-18  .  . 
xxiij.  2  f .  .  . 
xxiii.  4-9 . . . 
xxiii.  5 .  . .  . 
xxiij.  19.  .. 
xxiii.  20 . .  . 
xx  jv.  10  ff  . 
xxjv.  14  f . . 
xxiv.  19-22. 
xxv.  13... 
xxv.  1 3  ff . . 
xxv.  16. 
xxv 
xxv 
xxv 

XXV 

xxix 
xxx 
xxx 
xxx 
xxx 
xxx 
xxx 
xxx 


QT 
"7 
8 1 


60 

'? 

83 

84 
84 

84 

8.5 

58 

*s 

38 

i3 
83 

5» 

87 
87 

6  I 

20 

84 

84 
84 


66 
66, 


xxx 


JOSHUA 


12  f. 
17   • 


11. 


17- 
19. 
ii.    28. 


Sr 
68 
8a 

75 
37 

43 
72 
53 
50 
'7 
77 

60 


vii.   14. 


96 


INDEX  TO  REFERENCES  TO  THE  SCRIPTURES 


JOSHUA  —  Cont'd 

PAGE 

I  KINGS  —  Cont'd 

PAGE 

I  SAI  AH  —  Cont'd 

PAGE 

vn.  21  

32 

XVUI  

$2 

xi.    15  f  

93 

x.   9-12  

.  .  .  ,6o-I 

xvui.    4  

69 

Xll  

93 

Xlll.     22  

38 

xix.   13  

32 

xiii.    3  

....    38 

xv.    35  

26 

xix.   18  

47 

xiv.  4  

....    28 

xv.    37  

24 

xx  28, 

40,  69,  84 

xiv.    13  

•  -43,  44 

xv.   44  

26 

XX  1  

37 

xiv.  24-27  

50 

xix.    45  

23 

xx  i.  8-28  

17 

XV.     2  

27 

xxiv.   91  

60 

XX  i.      22    f  

39 

xvii.     12-14  

50 

JUDGES 

XX  1.    24  

xx  i.  27  

52 
69 

xix.    6  
xix.     19  

75 
57 

".    i,  5  

23 

xix.  25  

....    77 

11.     22  

82 

II  KINGS 

XX.     I  

....     22 

111.     I    

82 

ii.   ii  

89 

XX.    2    

..21    [.'1 

VI.     20   

38 

ill.  4  

34 

xxi.  6  

....     71 

vii.   5  ff  

:::::  si 

111.  27  
iv.    i  

93 
...84UJ 

xxi.    14  
xxii.   5  

61 
71 

XI  

93 

viii.    27  

69 

xxui.    17  

....   20 

Xlll.     12   

28 

xiii.  6  

58 

xxiii.   17  f  

....   20 

xvui.    7  

77 

xv.   33  

I 

XXVI.     2  

....   64 

I  SAMUEL 

xv  .'   3  iff  

.4,  69,  92 
82 

xxvi.    19  
xxvi.  21  

....   56 
18 

11.    22  

82 

xv  i.  9  

48 

xxvui.    4  

70 

VI.    2    

38 

XV  11.    4,    22.  .. 

41 

xxix.    10  f  .... 

....   38 

vii.  9  

38 

xv  11.   14,   17.  . 

25 

XXX.     10  f   

30 

viii.    20  

52 

XVUI.     21  ....  f. 

3 

xxxn.   14  

....   48 

IX  

82 

xvui.    34  

74 

xxxiu.    5  

61 

ix.   9  

17 

xix.   8  

25 

xxxvii.   31  .... 

47 

X.     2  

52 

xx  .  6  

92 

xl.  27  

74 

xi  i.    7  

61 

xxi.   7  

58 

xiii.    10  

93 

Xlll.     IO    

38 

XX  11  

82 

xliii,  23  

59 

XV.    22  

.  .  .62,  90 

xx  ii.  6  f  

58 

xiv.    8  

....    6  1 

XVI  

90 

xx  n.  32,   37.  . 

82 

xlix.  4  

74 

XVII.     12  

xx  v.  9,    19.  .. 

82 

xlix.  23  

....    78 

xxiv.    7  

89 

xxvi.  19  

77 

ISAIAH 

Ivi.   i  

91 

II  SAMUEL 

.  6  

52 

Ivii.    i  

70 

.    ii  ff  

90 

Ivii.   15  

61 

23 

•  23  

40 

Iviii.   5  ff  

90 

iii.  31  

21 

i.  2-4  
i.   5  

46 

lix.  2  

37 
34 

,3 

11.      12  

...37,38 

Ixiii.    12  

....    60 

viii.    2  
x.   4  
xii.  20  

29 
39 
68 

ii.    14  f  
ii.   16-23  

V.     2  f  

v.    8  

...36,84 
84 
47 
84 

JEREMIAH 
ii.  6  
ii.   7  

.  ,  ,  .    60 
61 

xv.    30  
xvii.  9  
xix.   22  
xxiii.  5  f  

63 
89 
71 

v.    8ff  

V.     20  

vii.    14  
viii.     17  

84 
36 
53 
37 

ii.   8  
ii.    ii  
ii.    31  
iii.    24  

....    40 
....   46 
66 
92 

I  KINGS 

IX.     I    

73 

iv.    23  ff  

19 

in.  4  

82 

ix.    5  f  

54 

V.     12  

40 

ix.  9  

25 

ix.    15  

37 

v.    26  ff  

....    84 

ix.   1  6  

..  ...   26 

x.    5  

66 

v.    27  

....    36 

x.   26  

x.    5  ff  

74 

vi.    14  

37 

x.   28  f  

25 

X.     12  

5° 

vi.    i8f  

18 

xvi.  24  

20 

X.     20  ff  

47 

vi.    24  

49 

xvi.  25  

69 

x.   32  

48 

vii.   i  ff  

....    41 

xvi.  28  

69 

xi.   2  ff  

53 

vii.    4  

40 

xvi.   31  f  

69 

xi.   6-10  

45 

vii.   21  ff  

90 

xvi.  33  

58 

xi.    13  

S3 

vii.   31  

92 

AND  OTHER  ANCIENT  WRITINGS 


97 


JEREMIAH  —  Cont'd 
viii.  8  

PAGE 
...     4O 

EZEKIEL  —  Cont'd 
xxxviii  

PAGE 

•  •  •    50 

AMOS  —  Cont'd 
ix.  8  

PAGE 

viii.    19  

•3S>  49 

xxxviii.    11-13,   17 

.  .  .     12 

.  .     72 

HABAKKUK 
ii.  4  

.  .  .  .    91 

x     25  

:..  28 

•  •  •     SO 

62 

ii.  6  

28 

HOSEA 

•  •  •    53 

11.     12  

.  .  .  .    40 

ZEPHANIAH 

.  .  .  69 

xix.    5  

xix    5  ff 

.92,93 

ii.   7-13  

...    20 

iii.   13  

47 

in.   19  

47 

ZECHARIAH 

VJ;     5    •  •  

51 

xxii.   13  ff  

...84 

•  ••49 

i»-    5  43.  52, 
iv.  4  ff  

78,89 
.  .  .   40 

XXlll  

xxiil.  7  f  
xxiv.    ii  
xxvi.   1  8  

•  ••37 
•93.  94 
...84 
..  .    41 

V.      I  

v.   15  
vi.  6  
vi.   9  

...   40 
...    18 
.  ..   90 
.  .  .   40 

viii.    1  6  ff  
viii.  20  ff  
ix.   10  

90 
44 
•45.  54 

xxv  .     18  f  
xxv  i.    9  
xxv  ii.    2  ff  

...      i 
.--38 
...    37 

vii.   8  
vii.    ii  
viii.    13  

•  •  •      3 
•••      3 
.  .  .    90 

xi.    1  6  
xii.   1-9  

36 
5° 

MALACHI 

.  .  •  .    32 
...    62 

xxx  i.    35  

...    92 

ix.    10  

.  .  .    70 

xxx  v.    7  

...    25 

XI.     I    

...60 

...    47 

xl.      5  

...    47 

xi.   9  

.  .  .    27 

84 

xh    5  

xii    8  f  

.  .  .    84 

PSALMS 
xii    2  (  i  )  ff  .... 

...    70 

.        66 

60    [2} 

..   79 

xlvi  i.    24  
Hi.    7  

•  •  •    34 
•  •  •    35 

xiv.   5  ff  
JOEL 

xviii.   46,   45  .  .  . 

...78 

EZEKIEL 

...    17 

XXll  

xxiii.   i  ff  

...    72 
...    77 

xxiii.    4  

...    73 

...   35 

•  '  I..-  i 

.  .  .   61 

.    ^7 

.  •    .•"'••. 

xxv.  8  

...   91 

..  .    38 

xxvii.   i  

...    73 

AMOS 

.  .    70 

xv  .    20  f.,  36.  .. 

92  ['] 
...    20 

:..  64 

xxxiii.    9  

...  31 

i    6  f 

36,84 
.  .    84 

•  •  •   44 

...    20 

i    8 

..  .   61 

...    90 

60,  6  1 

xl.   7  ff  

...   90 

...    79 

xliii.    i  

...    74 

xx    26,   31  

.  ..    92 
...   92 

ii.  9  f  

36,84 
.  .   67 

xlv  .    5  

...   44 
...   44 

XX        26  f 

*g 

84  [*J 

...   85 

S  j. 

].    2   

...    76 

40,  68 
36,84 
•  •   36 

H.     8  f  

...    90 

V       II   f 

...   27 

xx  n.     37,  39  

..    .       92 

v.    14  f  

Ixii  .    7  

...   27 

Ixv  i.   21  (20)  .  . 

...   60 

V     21   ff  

...56 

xxv    8  ff  

87 

.  .      8d 

...   74 

xxv  ii.    13  f  

-••43 

VI.     12  

..       17 

xcvii.   5  

...   5» 
...   60 

xxx  ii.    2  ff  
xxx  v.    23  f  
xxxvii.  24  .  . 

...    71 

...52 

...     52 

v  ii.   4  ff  
v  ii.    5  
v  ii.   7  

..   84 
66,  84 
..  86 

ciii.   17  
cv.    8-1  1,  42.  ... 
cvi  

...   61 
...80 
•  ••73 

INDEX  TO  REFERENCES  TO  THE  SCRIPTURES 


PSALMS  —  Cont'd 

PAGE    PROVERBS  —  Cont'd 

PAGE     EcCLESIASTES 

PAGB 

cvi.   36  

...     4       xxii.  2  

.  .   85       xi.  2  

•     S4 

CXV.     2  

...    74        xxvin.    22  

..    85 

CXVll.    2  

•••79        xxx.   9  

.  .   83    DANIEL 

CXVlll.      2O  

•••    J>4    JOB 

vii.   13  

.     87 

cxxv.  4  

•••    °4        vi.    I5ff  

..  26       x.    14  

•    43 

cxli.   5  

'"  ii         xiii.  24  

•'•     68           XV.     20  ff  

::  is  EZRA 

PROVERBS 

XVI.     IO   

.  .   52       «.  8  

•    47 

vi.   ii  

•  •  •    l\        xix.   25  ff  

37    NEHEMIAH 

a3        xxi.    10  

.  .   68       iii.   26  f  

.    48 

xiii.    21  

.  .   90    CANTICLES 

XI.    21    

.   48 

xiv.  31  

•  ••85        ii.  9  

.  .    93        xu   33  

•    23 

xv.   1  6  £  

•  •  •   85    LAMENTATIONS 

II  CHRONICLES 

xvi.   ii  

•  '  '   6|       11.   14  

'•    37        v.    26  

.   84 

xvi.  33  

•  •   H       xi.   9  

•   25 

XVll.     I  

gr             1V-     2O    

*           XXVI.      10  

.   48 

XX.    21  

...   85    RUTH 

xxvn.   3  

.   48 

XXII.    I  

85        iv.   ii  

.  .    52        xxxin.    14  

.   48 

b. 

THE  APOCRYPHA  AND  PSEUDEPIGRAPHA 

SlRACH 

IV  EZRA  —  Cont'd 

ENOCH  —  Cont'd 

ii.    4,  6  

...   85       vi.  24  

.  .   72       xxxvii.  7  

.    KS 

ii.   5  

85        xii.   32  

.  .    87        xlviii.    3  

.    87 

xiii.   17  f  

...    85        xiii.    26,   52  

.  .    87        Ixx.    4  

.    8« 

xiii.    19  

•   •      7O       -r, 

L-    BARUCH 

TESTAMENT  OF  ABRAHAM 

xxxv.   6  
xlix.    10  

...    7i        Ixx.   3  ff  

.  .   72        xvi.   f  

.    89 

IV  EZRA 

ENOCH 

ASCENSION  OF  ISAIAH 

v.   9  

...   72       11  

72        11.     10  

.    21 

c.  THE  NEW  TESTAMENT 

MATTHEW 
x.    35  f  

JOHN 
•  ••72       i  

PHILIPPIANS 
.  .   88        ii.   7  f  

88 

MARK 

ROMANS 

oo     COLOSSIANS 

ix.  2  ff  

...   90       vni.  3  

88 

LUKE 

I  CORINTHIANS 

XH.  52  

...   72       xv  

XVI.      22  

...   90       xv.  48  

.  .     88 

d.  THE  MISHNAH 

BERAKOT 

YOMA 

ABOT 

i.  5  

.  .   68       iv.   i  

•   85 

PESAHIM 

MO'ED   KATON 

ZEBAHIM 

,    f>? 

x.   6  

SHEKALIM 

SOTAH 

xiv.  4  ff  

.   82 

vii.  4  • 

,  .    48        ix.    15  

..72 

e.  THE  PALESTINIAN 

TALMUD 

TA'ANIT 

MAKKOT 

65b     

.18,71       3id  

..  91 

AND  OTHER  ANCIENT  WRITINGS 


99 


/.  THE  BABYLONIAN  TALMUD 

BERAKOT                        PAGE    MO'ED  KATON  —          PAGE 

BABA  BATRA                  PAGE 

6»   

65            Con't'd 

88b   

86 

I2b    f  

94        24«    

39 

90b   

S:j 

'3      

5°       26b   

21 

SANHEDRIN 

28b     

SHABBAT 

90 
HAGIGAH 

'  nb 

59*   
65"   

64 

=  7 

I0b     

54       ?2b  

77"   

d  ( 

25*>     

85        I2     

5» 

94s   

o>. 

S3b    

65    YEBAMOT 

95b   

|Sb    

9°        64"    

17 

97a   ff  

ja 

63"    43, 

49    KETUBOT 

MAKKOT 

1  4ob    

65        5o»   

86 

24     

91 

PESAHIM 

NEDARIM 

ABODAH  ZARAH 

(•- 

54*   

SUKKAH 

87        39b    
SOT  AH 

87 

ABOT  DE-RABBI  NATHAN 
(ed.   Schechter) 

49b    

52b     

89-        46«    

59 

p.  86  

86 

ROSH  HA-SHANAH 

KlDDUSHIN 

DEREK  ERES  RABBA 

n»    59  | 

•  2"\            72b     

90 

TA'ANIT 

73b    

67 

DEREK  ERES  ZUTTA 

4a    .  . 

93   BABA  KAMMA 

i.    14  

89 

5b    

89       38"   

b4 

MENAHOT 

MO'ED  KATON 

BABA  MESI'A 

43"   

°b 

15*   ..'    .'. 

39        58b    ..."  

86 

*ARAKIN 

iSb   

21           84"     

39 

32"  

t>4 

g,  THE  MIDRASHIM 

MEKILTA 

GENESIS  RABBA  —  Cont'd 

CANTICLES  RABBA 

63        xxxiii  

18 

"  72, 

93 

Exod.    xv.   i  

93        xlviii  

ii 

Exod.   xvi.  25,  30  .  . 

49        Ixxxv  

34 

PESIKTA   RABBETI    (ed. 

SIFRA 

EXODUS  RABBA 

Friedmann) 

Lev.  xviii.  5  

64        xv  59, 

93 

P-    4bJ   75"  

7-' 

SlFRE 

XXV111  

59 

P-  72b  

n.   7C*.  .  . 

93 

So 

Deut.   xi.   12  
Deut.    xii.   13  

67  _  xlu  

82    LEVITICUS  RABBA 

p.  85"  65 
n.    161  Z4-1 

Deut.    xxxii.   36  

72        xxii  

91 

p.    i6lb  

SS 

Deut.  xxxiii.  2  

58        xxxii  

34 

§   xxx  v  ii  

1* 

SEDER    ELIJAHU    (ed. 
Friedmann) 

NUMBERS  RABBA 
i  

6j 

SHOHER  TOB 

p.  8ff  

90        xiv  

Bg 

Ps.    xxii  

72 

p.  H4  

oo 

DEUTERONOMY  RABBA 

PS.      1.    2  

-o 

GENESIS  RABBA 

QO 

89       xi  

89 

[For  references  to  other  works  and  authors,  see  the  general  Index,  pp.  100-104.] 


INDEX 


Aaron,  60. 

Abrabanel.     See  Isaac  Abrabanel. 

Abraham,   89. 

Abraham    ben    Meir    Ibn    Ezra,    cited, 

II,     17,     18,    20     [2],    21,    24     [2],    25, 

26,  29  [4],  30  U],  34  |>],  44,  46, 
49  [j],  S3,  54,  55,  59,  65,  66,  67, 
68,  75,  77,  78,  89;  commentator  on 
Micah,  15. 

Abulwalid  Merwan  Ibn  Ganah,  com- 
mentator on  Micah,  15;  cited,  21, 
22,  24,  29,  31,  32,  58,  67  [<?],  68. 

Achzib,  26. 

Adam,  89,  90. 

Adonai  Sebaot,  45-6. 

Agrarian  laws,  83. 

Ahab,  4,  69,  82,  84. 

Ahaz,   i,  4,   13,  92. 

Ahikam  the  son  of  Shaphan,  41. 

Almsgiving,  64;  and  righteousness,  86. 

Ammonites,  the,  87. 

Amos,   5,  63,  89,  90. 

Aquila,  text  of  Micah,  14;  cited,  24, 
26,  31,  34,  63,  67-8,  75,  76. 

Asceticism,   65. 

Ashdod,  captured,  22. 

Asherah  cult,  69. 

Asherim,   58. 

Assyria,  55,  66,  73;  and  Palestine,  2-3. 

Assyrian  loan-word,   18. 

Assyrian  supremacy,  2. 

Authorised  Daily  Prayer  Book,  trans- 
lation by  S.  Singer,  cited,  45,  47-8, 
50,  74,  79  [2],  89,  93. 

Azuri,  king  of  Ashdod,  22. 

Baal  cult,  69. 

Babylon,    25,    55. 

Babylon,  metropolis,  13. 

Balaam,  38. 

Ban,  the,  51. 

Bamot.     See  High  Places,   the. 

Bashan,  77. 

Baudissin,   introduction   to   Micah,    16. 

Beard,   the,   39. 

Benediction,  the  Seventh,  74. 

Ben  Hinnom,  Valley  of,  92. 


Ben  Zoma,   94. 
Berechiah,  rabbi,  71. 
Beth-ezel,    24. 
Beth-le-Aphrah,   23. 
Beth-lehem,    52. 
Bezer,  34. 

Bliss,  F.  J.,  cited,  24. 
Bochim,   23. 
Boshet,  92. 
Bozrah,   34. 
Breaker,  the,  34. 

Burnt-offering,   to  begin  war,   38;   de- 
nned, 61. 

Canaanite   religion,   81-2. 

Canaanites,    the,    defile    Palestine,    33, 

87. 

Caution,  65. 

Chariots,  prophets  object  to,  25. 
Charity,    laws  of,   84. 
Cheyne,    commentator    on    Micah,    15; 

cited,   93. 
Child    sacrifices,     13,     92.       See    also 

Human   sacrifices. 
Commentators  on  Micah,   15-16. 
Companions    of    the    Messiah,    54,    89- 

90. 

Congregation,   Israel,   87. 
Congregation  of  the   Lord,   30. 
Conjugal  infidelity,  figure  for  idolatry, 

20. 

Connubium,    87. 
Corners  of  the   field,   84. 
Cornill,   introduction   to   Micah,    16. 

Damascus,  fall  of,  2. 

David,  3,  89;  ancestor  of  the  Messiah, 

52,  53- 
David  ben  Joseph  Kimhi,  cited,   n,   17 

[2],    20    [2],    21,    24     [2],    25     [2],    26 

[>],  29  [j],  30  [j],  32,  33,  34  [2], 
43,  44,  46,  49  [•?],  53  M,  54  OJ» 
55  1*1,  58,  59,  65,  66  U],  67  [*], 
68,  71,  75  [*],  78;  commentator  on 
Micah,  15. 

Devoted,  definition  of,  51. 

Dew,  55-6. 


INDEX 


Dillmann,   cited,   92. 

Divination,   38. 

Driver,    introduction    to     Micah,     16; 

cited,   38. 

Dust,  rolling  in,  23;  licking  the,  78. 
Dysentery,  67. 

Earthquake,  figure  for  sin,  19. 

Eden,  43,  44. 

Edom,    22. 

Edomites,  the,  87. 

Egypt,  and  Palestine,  2-3,  75. 

Egyptians,  the,  87. 

Eleazar,  rabbi,  64. 

Elijah,   34,   47,  82,   89,   90. 

Encyclopaedia  Biblica,  cited,  43,  46,  56, 

93- 

End  of   days,    42-3. 

Enoch,  89. 

Ephrath.     See  Beth-lehem. 

Eschatology,   Jewish,   72. 

Ewald,  commentator  on  Micah,  15; 
cited,  21,  30,  66  [2],  67,  68,  75. 

Exodus,  the,  and  the  Messianic  re- 
demption, 93-4. 

Ezra,    47. 

Fear  of  sin,  65. 
Figs,  early,  70. 
First-born,  the,  62-3. 
Flock,  the  Lord's,  77. 
Forethought.   65. 
Forgotten  sheaf,  84. 

Gad,  77. 

Gath,  22-3. 

Gath-Rimmon,  23. 

Gilead,   77. 

Gittaim,  23. 

Gleanings,  84. 

Gog,   12,  50. 

Graetz,  cited,  23,   51. 

Greek  Version  of  Micah,  text  of,  14; 
cited,  17,  20,  21,  22,  23,  29,  31,  32, 
33,  36,  46,  49,  S3,  54  [*],  5<>,  63, 
66  [2],  68,  87. 

Gressmann,  cited,  9. 

Griffon-vulture,  the,  27. 

Guilt-offering,  62. 

Gttnkel,  cited,   44. 

Haftarah,    55-64,   80. 

Hananiah,  37. 


Harlot,  the  hire  of  a,  20,  21. 

Hasid,  70. 

''  Heritage,"  77. 

Hesed,  61,  64,  70. 

Hezekiah,   i,   13,  41,  89,  />o. 

High  places,  the,  18,  19,  81-2. 

Hills,  the  "  mothers,"  59. 

Hitzig-Steiner,  commentators  on  Mi- 
cah, 15. 

Holiness,   65. 

Holy   Land,   the,   devastation  of,   74-5. 

Holy   Spirit,  the,   65. 

Honesty  in  trade,   83. 

Horses,  prophets  object  to,  25. 

Hosea,   63. 

Human  sacrifices,  92-3.  See  also  Child 
sacrifices. 

Humiliation,  symbol  of,   23,   39. 

Humility,   64-5. 

Ibn  Ezra.  See  Abraham  ben  Meir  Ibn 
Ezra. 

Ibn  Ganah.  See  Abulwalid  Merwan 
Tbn  Ganah. 

Idolatry,  conjugal  infidelity  figure  for, 
20;  warning  against,  81;  and  sacri- 
fices, 91. 

Incisions,  symbol   of  mourning,   51. 

Interest,  laws  on,  84. 

Iphigenia,  37. 

Isaac,   sacrifice  of,   93. 

Isaac  Abrabanel,  commentator  on  Mi- 
cah, 15;  cited,  12,  91. 

Isaiah,  I,  4,  12;  the  son  of,  47. 

Israel,  political  relations  of,  3-4;  and 
idolatry,  81-2;  terms  for,  86-7. 

Israel,  interchanged  with  Jacob,  19. 

Jacob,  89. 

Jacob,  interchanged  with  Israel,   19. 

Jehoiakim,    40. 

Jephthah,  vow  of,  93. 

Jeremiah,  accused  of  treason,   41. 

Jeremias,    cited,    13. 

Jeroboam,  3. 

Jerusalem,  defiled,  4,  5;  destruction 
of,  announced,  5,  6;  the  spiritual 
centre,  12;  sin  personified,  19;  in 
the  Messianic  age,  50. 

Jesse,  89,  90. 

Jesus,  88. 

Jew,  the,  as  a  man,  63-4. 


102 


INDEX 


John  Hyrcanus,  20. 

Jonah.      See    Abulwalid    Merwan    Ibn 

Ganah. 

Jonah,  the  Book  of,  80. 
Joseph   Kara,  commentator   on   Micah, 

15;  cited,  22,  26,  28,  53. 
Joseph  Kimhi,  cited,   n,   32,  35. 
Josephus,   cited,   20. 
Josiah,  58,  89. 
Jotham,   i. 

Jubilee  year,  83,  84. 
Judicial  murder,  40. 
Justice,  administration  of,  35,  83,  86. 

Kimhi.     See  David  ben  Joseph  Kimhi; 

Joseph  Kimhi. 

Kindnesses,  the  doing  of,  64. 
Kingdom  of  God,  72. 
Kittel,  cited,  i. 
Klausner,  cited,   87. 
Knowing,  in  Hebrew,  35. 
Konig,  introduction  to  Micah,  96. 
Koppe,  cited,   12. 
Kuenen,  introduction  to  Micah,  16. 

Lachish,  24-5. 
Landlords,   29. 
Landmarks,  removal  of,  83. 
Levi,  rabbi,  91. 
Logos,  the,  88. 
Lots,  29-30. 

Lovingkindness,  64,  79. 
Luzzatto,  cited,  38,  44,  46. 

Magog.     See  Gog. 

Mahzor  Vitry,  cited,  94  [2], 

Maimuni,  cited,  91. 

Manasseh,  13,  58,  92. 

Manasseh,  half  of,  77. 

Mantle,  32. 

Mareshah,   26. 

Maroth,  24. 

Marti,  commentator  on  Micah,  16. 

Mashal,  28. 

Masor,  75. 

Masorah,  the,  cited,  58. 

Masoretic   text,    14. 

Massebah,  57. 

Memphis,   25. 

Menahem  bar  Helbo,  commentator  on 

Micah,   15;  cited,  24,  26,  32,  66. 
Merodach-baladan  II,  3. 
Mesha,  93. 


Messiah,  the,  34,  35,  44,  52,  53,  54,  -2, 
89;  pre-existent,  87-9;  companions 
of,  89;  and  Moses,  93. 

Messianic  age,  the,  8,  12,  13-14,  43, 
45,  49,  5°,  53-4,  76. 

Messianic  redemption,  the,  and  the 
Exodus,  93-4. 

Methuselah,   89,   90. 

Micah,  place  and  time  of,  i ;  compared 
with  Isaiah,  4;  as  social  reformer, 
4-5;  unpopular,  5;  and  the  false 
prophets,  5-6;  uses  an  ancient  proph- 
ecy, 6-7,  12;  on  divine  service,  7; 
diction  of,  7,  9;  theology  of,  7-8;  the 
unity  of  his  authorship,  8-14;  text  of 
book  of,  14;  versions  of  book  of,  15; 
commentaries  on  book  of,  15-16;  and 
Hezekiah,  41;  modesty  of,  63. 

Micaiah  the  son  of  Imlah,  17,  39. 

Migdal-eder,  48. 

Miriam,  60. 

Moab,  22,   34. 

Moabites,  the,  87. 

Modesty,   65. 

Molin,  Jacob,  79. 

Moloch,  63. 

Moresheth,    i. 

Moresheth-gath,  26. 

Moses,  60,  89,  90,  93. 

Mountain  of  the  Lord's  house,  43-4. 

Mountains,  the  "  fathers,"   59. 

Mourning,  21,  23,  27,  39,   51. 

Naboth,  28,  69. 

Nahmani,   cited,    91. 

Nation,  Israel,  86-7. 

Nebaioth,   34. 

Nehemiah,  47. 

Neubauer,    cited,   52. 

Nimrod,  55. 

Nineveh,  25. 

Nowack,    commentator   on    Micah,    15. 

Oil,   62,  68. 
Omri,  69. 
Onias,   82. 
Ophel,  the,  48. 
Optimism,   false,   37. 
Ostrich,  the,   22. 

Palestine,  political  relations  of,  2-3; 
place  of  rest,  32;  defiled,  33. 


INDEX 


103 


Parable,  28. 

Paradise,  43. 

Paradise  Regained,  44. 

Passover,  the  second,  93-4- 

Paton,  cited,  3,   13,  22. 

Pauline  Son  of  God,  88. 

Peace-offering,    61-2. 

People,  Israel,  86-7. 

Petrie,   Flinders,  cited,  24. 

Philistia,   play  on,  23. 

Phinehas,   rabbi,   91. 

Phinehas  ben  Jair,  rabbi,  65. 

Phoenician   Baal,   4. 

Phoenicians,  the,  rites  of,  20. 

Piety,  65. 

Pledges,  laws  on,  84. 

Poverty,  the  law  and  prophets  on, 
83-6. 

Pre-existence  of  the  Messiah,  53. 

Presence,  the  Divine.  See  Shekinah, 
the. 

Priests,  the,  complaints  against,  40; 
representatives  of  God,  44. 

Property,  assigned  by  lot,  30;  sacred- 
ness  of,  83. 

Prophecy,  an  ancient,  used  by  Micah, 
6-7. 

Prophets,  the,  called  seers,  17;  and 
wealth,  25;  epileptics,  30;  identify 
themselves  with  the  Lord,  31;  true, 
39,  41-2;  representatives  of  God,  44; 
Moses,  Aaron,  Miriam,  60;  castigate 
and  intercede,  76-7;  tribunes  of  the 
people,  85;  and  the  sacrifices,  90-2. 

Prophets,  the  false,  5-6,  33,  37,  38,  39, 

71- 
Purity,  65. 

"  Quinta,"  the,  cited,  55. 

Rabshakeh,  25. 

Race,   Israel,   86-7. 

Rachel,  the  tomb  of,   52.     . 

Rain,  55-6. 

Rashi,  commentator  on  Micah,  15; 
cited,  18  [2],  20,  24,  26,  30,  31,  34 
[*],  43.  53  [Jl»  54,  58,  66,  70,  71, 
75,  89. 

Reason,   88. 

"  Remnant,"  the,   47-8,    73. 

Repentance  and  sacrifices,  63. 

Resurrection,   65;   the   dew  of  the,   56. 

Reuben,  77. 


Reuss,    commentator    on     Micah,     15; 

cited,  66,  75. 

Rich,  the,  arraigned,  35,  36. 
Riches,  the  law  and  the  prophets  on, 

83-6. 

Righteousness   and  almsgiving,   86. 
Rod  of  punishment,  the,  66. 
Roediger,   cited,    22. 
Ryssel,   commentator  on   Micah,    15. 

Saadya,  cited,  22. 
Sabbatic  year,  84. 
Sacrifices,  Micah  on,  7;  to  begin  war, 

37-8;  kinds  of,  61-2;  piacular,  63;  as 

viewed  by  the  prophets,   90-2. 
Saint,  -o. 
Samaria,    the    destruction    of,    i,    2,    4, 

5;    sin   personified,    19. 
Samaritans,    the,    82. 
Samuel,  89,   90. 
Samuel  ha-Nagid,  on  Micah,  15;  cited, 

21. 

Sargon   II,   2. 
Saul,  89. 
Sawafir,  23. 
Schechter,  cited,  85. 
Schurer,  cited,  79. 
Sedakah,  61. 
Seed,'  Israel,  86. 
Self-abasement,    21,   27. 
Sennacherib,  2,   25. 
Septuagint.     See  Greek  Version, 
Seth,  89,  90. 

Seventh  Benediction,  the,  74, 
Shalmaneser   IV,  2. 
Shamir,   23. 
Shaphir,  23. 
Shaving,   27. 
Shear-Jashub,  47. 
Shekinah,  the,   18,  37. 
Shelamim,   61-2. 
Shishak  I,  3. 
Simlai,  91. 
Sin,  Micah  on,   7-8;   a  cataclysm,   19; 

according  to  the  prophets,  25. 
Sinlessness,   65. 
Sin-offering,  62. 
Slavery,  laws  of,  83-4. 
Smith,  G.  A.,  cited,  25. 
Smith,  W.  Robertson,  cited,  38. 
Social  evils  in  Judah  and  Israel,  4-5. 
Solomon,  3,  25. 
Soothsayers,  57. 


104 


INDEX 


Spirit,  long  and  short  of,  30. 

Stade,  cited,  8,  13. 

Steinthal,  cited,   91. 

Symmachus,  text  of  Micah,   14;  cited, 

19,  24,  26,  31,  34. 
Syriac    Version,    text    of    Micah,    14; 

cited,  21,  22   [2],  24,  26,  29,  49,  53, 

67,  76. 

Tahutimes  III,  2. 

Tanhum  of  Jerusalem,  cited,  22. 

Targum,  cited,  n,  18  [z],  21  [2],  24 
[2],  26,  29,  31,  34  [2],  41,  52,  53 
[2],  54,  58,  59  [-?!,  60,  61,  63,  66 
[2],  67,  69,  70,  71  [2],  75  [2],  78, 
89,  92;  text  of  Micah,  14;  para- 
phrastic, 15. 

Tashlik,   79. 

Tell-el-Hesy,  24-5. 

Temple,'  the,  82. 

Theodotion,  text  of  Micah,  14;  cited, 
26,  63,  75- 

Tiglath-pileser  III,  2. 

Tithes,  84. 

Top  of  the  mountains,  43-4. 

Tophet,    92. 

Torah,  defined,  44. 

Torah,  the,  65;  and  the  prophets,  91. 

Tristram,    cited,   22,   27. 

Tyre,  20. 


Uprightness,  70. 

Venality  among  priests,  40. 

Visitation,  71. 

Vulgate,  the,  text  of  Micah,  14;  cited, 
19,  21  [*],  22,  24,  29,  34  [2],  53, 
54,  55,  59,  61,  66,  67,  68,  69,  72,  75 

UL    76. 

Wages,  laws  on,  84. 

War,  sanctified,  37-8;  abolition  of,  45. 

Wellhausen,    commentator    on    Micah, 

15;  cited,  32   [2"]. 

Wildeboer,  introduction  to  Micah,   16. 
Word,  the  eternal,  88. 

Yalkut  Makiri,  on  Micah,   15. 
Yalkutim,  on  Micah,   15. 
Yoreh'  De'ah,  cited,  21   [2],  39. 

Zaanan,  24. 
Zebah,   61. 
Zedekiah,   35,  89. 
Zenan,  24. 
Zephaniah,  89,  90. 
Zimmern,    cited,    90. 
Zion,  the  future,  43-4. 
Zion,  Mount,  43-4. 


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